- Hon. Philip Agbese publicly criticised the organisers of President Tinubu's Campaign Council inauguration over the exclusion of his Renewed Hope Labourers Network
- Agbese said opposition-linked figures like Nyesom Wike and Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke received invitations while his group, one of the largest pro-Tinubu platforms, was overlooked
- The Benue lawmaker warned that the snub had already triggered questions from members across the country and called on APC's national leadership to address the situation
Abuja, FCT - Hon. Philip Agbese, the federal lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, has publicly condemned what he described as the unjust exclusion of the Renewed Hope Labourers Network from the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu's Presidential Campaign Council, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, October 14.
Agbese, who leads the network and also serves as the Labour Party leader in Benue state, said it was contradictory for organisers to extend invitations to figures such as FCT minister Nyesom Wike and Osun state governor Ademola Adeleke, both drawn from opposition political backgrounds, while leaving out a group that has formally allied with the All Progressives Congress and is actively working to secure the President's re-election.
Source: Facebook
"Inviting Wike, Adeleke for inauguration of Tinubu's Campaign Council without us is totally wrong," Agbese said. "Aside from the APC, we have the largest support network backing the President. Many of our members have called across the country to find out why I was not at the Presidential Villa. I had to explain to them."
Agbese Demands Action from APC Leadership
The Benue lawmaker made clear that he expects the party's national leadership to step in and resolve the matter. "This is something the National Chairman and all of them have to correct," he said.
Agbese stressed that his frustration was not rooted in personal grievance but in what he viewed as a failure to recognise the thousands of supporters who operate under his network's structure.
"Our members are asking questions and I cannot continue to give incomplete answers," he said. "We have worked hard, organised, and delivered support. To be left out of an event of this magnitude sends the wrong signal."
He also challenged the logic behind the guest list, arguing that organised alliance partners deserved priority over those without formal structures.
"If people who are not even in formal alliance structures can be invited and given roles, then those who have stood by the President through an organised platform should not be ignored," Agbese added.
The APC has framed the participation of cross-party figures like Wike and Adeleke as a sign of broad coalition-building ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, Agbese's public outcry signals that some allied platforms feel their contributions on the ground are going unacknowledged, raising concerns about cohesion within the President's re-election machinery at a critical early stage.
Atiku Reacts to Tinubu's Revised APC Campaign Council List
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar launched a sharp attack on President Tinubu over the composition and inauguration of the revised APC Presidential Campaign Council, accusing the president of prioritising political calculations over the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, released by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku criticised the length of Tinubu’s revised campaign council list, stating that it reflected the administration’s anxiety over its performance rather than genuine confidence ahead of the 2027 elections.
Source: Legit.ng
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