Confusion has trailed the leadership of the All Progressives Congress’ Youth Mobilisation Directorate for the 2027 presidential campaign after APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, said his elevation to director was announced at a campaign council meeting but subsequently reversed.
The development has sparked disagreement among party supporters on X, with some insisting that the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, remains the director, while Israel maintains that his elevation was announced by the campaign leadership before a subsequent decision restored the previous arrangement.
In a statement issued on Monday, the secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, announced adjustments to the council’s leadership structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the statement, Olawande was appointed director of the Youth Mobilisation Directorate, while Israel was named deputy director.
Farouk Aliyu was appointed director of the Directorate of Stage Organisation and Management, with Adejare Bello as co-director.
The statement also named Mary Aille Idele as director of the Women Mobilisation Directorate, with former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, as deputy director and Imaan Suleman as secretary.
Uzodimma said the appointments were intended to strengthen the council’s organisational structure, improve coordination and enhance operational efficiency.
However, Israel, in a post on X, disputed the suggestion that reports of his elevation were fabricated, saying the announcement was made at the council’s inaugural meeting on October 20 before a subsequent communication reversed the arrangement.
In a lengthy statement on Wednesday titled ‘Setting the Record Straight on the APC PCC Youth Directorate’, Israel said the list published on October 13 had initially named Olawande as director and him as deputy director.
He said the situation changed at the council’s meeting on October 20.
“Subsequently, at the inaugural meeting of the Council yesterday 20th, my elevation to Director Youth Mobilisation was announced at the end of the meeting. Members of the National Working Committee acknowledged that announcement and congratulated me, with one expressly confirming that it had been formally announced at the meeting,” he wrote.
Israel said the announcement prompted congratulatory messages from party members and supporters, adding that he began taking steps towards organising the directorate’s activities.
“I did not manufacture an announcement. Those who congratulated me had a basis for doing so,” he said.
He explained that, following the announcement, he called for a collective review of zonal plans and proposals, asked zonal coordinators to involve their deputies and secretaries, and requested a virtual meeting ahead of a deadline for submitting an action plan.
“Leadership must be demonstrated through action, and I was ready to act,” he said.
Israel said the subsequent response from the campaign council’s secretary, Mrs Rinsola Abiola, acknowledged that an announcement had been made before it was reversed.
According to him, Abiola referred to “the announcement made earlier today at the PCC leadership meeting” and explained that a subsequent statement “effectively nullifies” it, with the directorate having “reverted to status quo ante”.
Israel argued that the subsequent publication of the original appointments did not mean the earlier announcement of his elevation had never happened.
“This raises a straightforward question: what precisely was adjusted in the Youth Mobilisation Directorate, when both the Director and Deputy Director already held those same positions in the list published on 13 October?” he asked.
He added, “A subsequent reversal cannot make an earlier announcement imaginary. Nor can it turn the goodwill of colleagues and supporters into an act of dishonesty.”
While expressing respect for the party leadership and the campaign council’s authority to determine its structure, Israel called for clearer communication of decisions.
“Institutional credibility is strengthened when decisions and subsequent changes are communicated with clarity,” he said.
He also thanked those who congratulated him and urged party supporters to avoid personal attacks, insisting that his commitment to service remained unchanged.
The dispute has since generated contrasting reactions among APC supporters on X, with some circulating messages describing materials announcing Israel’s elevation as fake news and maintaining that Olawande remained the director.
A user identified as Mr Fabulous, #olaniranfaith, wrote that the campaign structure required coordination and clarity, insisting that Olawande remained director and Israel deputy director.
“Hon. Ayo Olawande remains Director of Youth Mobilisation, and Dr. Dayo Israel is Deputy Director. The flier claiming otherwise is fake news,” the user wrote, using the hashtag #AyoOlawandeNOTDayoIsrael.
Similarly, SeyVibezS, #mslaggert, wrote, “It was allegedly before, but now it is finally confirmed that Mr Ayo Olawande is the Director of Youth Mobilisation and NOT Dayo Israel. A lot will unfold in the coming days. Wow.”
Another user, Nurse Temmii, #tinaneedyours, said the leadership arrangement remained unchanged.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Ayo Olawande remains the Director of Youth Mobilisation for PBAT/APC 2027, and Dr. Dayo Israel remains Deputy Director. The circulating flier suggesting otherwise is fake news. The core leadership arrangement remains,” the user wrote.
BIG DAWG, #thoy007, also insisted that Olawande remained director, writing that “the PBAT/APC 2027 Youth Mobilisation Directorate’s core leadership remains intact”.
The user added that any flier suggesting a different arrangement was fake news.
The disagreement has also extended to questions about the relative positions of a party official and a serving minister within the campaign structure.
In a reply to Israel on Wednesday, an X user identified as 360 senpai (MNIM) Esq, #iAmThree_siXty, asked, “How can you be a director over the Honourable Minister of Youth?”
Israel responded by arguing that party hierarchy and government appointments were not directly comparable.
“Is the National Women Leader not a Director over the Minister of Women Affairs who is the committee secretary in the women directorate. Are you actually aware that in political ranking a National Working Committee Member is Senior to a Minister or Equivalent,” he wrote.
He added that members of the party’s National Working Committee were senior to political appointees within the party structure and were responsible for issuing tickets to elected nominees.
The explanation, however, did not end the debate among supporters.
Olugbenga, #gk_nelly, criticised Israel’s response, accusing him of placing too much emphasis on titles and power.
“You like to major on minor issues most times. You are actually more focused on power and title appellate than the job. This your own kind of youth leader get as e be,” the user wrote.
Another user, Asiwaju, #mr_asiwaju, questioned Israel’s argument about the seniority of National Working Committee members over ministers.
“Dayo Isreal said he above the Minister of youth in ranking because he’s NWC member of the APC.. Are the NWC members of other political parties also above the minster of youth?” the user wrote.
The user also questioned the argument in the context of Israel’s previous political activities in support of the ministerial position.
Meanwhile, AWP Network, #AfricWomenPower, suggested that the disagreement reflected divisions among the party’s youth supporters.
“Looks to me that apc has two youth factions in direct competition with each other. there’s the dayo isreal side and the youth minister side…..there’s the total unlooking happening from one side to the other,” the user wrote.
Another user, Avichi. Armageddon, #AvichiHolmes, described the development as a demotion for Israel, writing, “So Dayo Isreal has been demoted Kata kata in the Apc.”
Israel also shared a lengthy reflection on the temporary nature of political power in a separate post on X, although he did not explicitly link the post to the dispute over the campaign appointments.
In a Wednesday post, titled ‘The Transient of Public Power: A Reminder for Those Who Hold the Keys Today”, he argued that political influence and public office were temporary.
“Public office is temporary stewardship, not private dominion,” he wrote, warning against using positions of authority to obstruct others or treat access to power as permanent.
The exchange has highlighted disagreements among party supporters over the campaign council’s youth leadership, the sequence of announcements and the interpretation of the subsequent reversal.
While the council’s published list names Olawande as director and Israel as deputy director, Israel’s account maintains that a separate announcement of his elevation was made at the October 20 meeting before the previous arrangement was restored.