The Grassroots Coalition for Change (GCC) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing former Borno State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the North-East Zonal Campaign Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election.
The coalition described the appointment as strategic and timely, saying Sheriff’s political experience, grassroots connections and extensive network across the North-East would strengthen the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the presidential election.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Bello Johnson, the GCC, condemned what it described as sustained media attacks against Sheriff following his appointment, alleging that the campaign was politically motivated and aimed at undermining his new responsibility.
The coalition questioned why allegations against Sheriff had resurfaced following his appointment, despite his having held several prominent political positions over the years.
“Where was this person when Sheriff was made National Chairman? Where was he when Sheriff held key positions within the political parties and played prominent roles in national politics?” the group asked.
The GCC alleged that an unnamed individual from Katsina State had sustained attacks against Sheriff for about 15 years, without establishing credible evidence to support the allegations.
It argued that the timing of the renewed accusations raised questions about the motives behind them, particularly as Sheriff had just been assigned to coordinate the APC’s presidential campaign in the North-East.
The coalition also rejected attempts to link Sheriff personally to the Boko Haram insurgency, insisting that no established finding had shown that the former governor was the originator of the group.
“Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is not the originator of Boko Haram. That allegation has never been established,” the GCC stated.
It said attempts to revive the allegation whenever Sheriff received a political appointment amounted to a distraction from his responsibility to mobilise support for President Tinubu.
The coalition described Sheriff as a politician with decades of experience, citing his previous positions as governor of Borno State, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), national chairman and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), as well as his current position as an APC chieftain.
According to the GCC, Sheriff’s experience across different political parties had equipped him with knowledge of party administration, electoral politics, grassroots mobilisation and stakeholder engagement.
The group said such experience was particularly important in the North-East, where campaign coordination would require engagement with traditional institutions, political leaders, youth and women organisations, community leaders and other stakeholders.
The coalition further commended President Tinubu for selecting experienced political figures to coordinate the APC’s campaign structures, arguing that effective mobilisation required knowledge of local political and socio-cultural realities.
It urged APC members and supporters across the North-East to unite behind Sheriff and cooperate with the campaign structure to secure victory for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The GCC also cautioned supporters against responding to political attacks with counter-attacks, saying the most effective response would be successful grassroots mobilisation.
“We are confident that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff will rise to the occasion. He is focused on delivering the North-East for President Tinubu, and nobody can distract him with allegations that have never been established,” the coalition said.
The group maintained that the 2027 election should focus on competing visions and policies for Nigeria rather than personal attacks and unsubstantiated allegations against political opponents.
