Betta Edu’s political baggage and Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign Council

The removal of Dr Betta Edu, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, from the position of Director of Women Mobilisation in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure could prove to be a significant political development for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Beyond the controversy surrounding her previous ministerial tenure, the decision has revived longstanding disagreements over her leadership style, her relationship with established female party stakeholders, and her capacity to unite women across the party’s various structures.

For a ruling party seeking to consolidate its electoral support ahead of the 2027 general elections, effective women’s mobilisation will be critical. 

Women constitute an influential constituency in Nigeria’s politics, with extensive networks across communities, markets, professional associations, cooperatives and grassroots organisations. 

The question, therefore, is whether a change in leadership can restore confidence, improve coordination and strengthen the APC’s appeal among women voters. Betta Edu’s political challenges cannot be separated from the controversy that led to her suspension as a minister in January 2024.

On January 8, 2024, President Tinubu suspended Edu after a leaked memo raised questions about a proposed transfer of ₦585.2 million into a private bank account belonging to a project accountant, Bridget Oniyelu. The funds were reportedly intended for grants to vulnerable people in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states. The proposed transaction generated considerable public concern about financial accountability and the management of funds intended for vulnerable Nigerians.

In response, President Tinubu directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the ministry’s financial transactions and ordered a review of the financial framework governing social investment programmes.

The controversy placed Edu under intense public scrutiny and presented a challenge to the administration’s stated commitment to transparency and the fight against corruption. Although allegations and investigations must be distinguished from established findings of guilt, the episode created political baggage that could complicate her role in a campaign seeking to project credibility, accountability and public confidence.

In a political environment where public perception can influence electoral decisions, the reputational consequences of such controversies cannot be ignored. For the APC, the challenge is to ensure that its campaign leadership inspires confidence among party members and the wider electorate.

However, opposition to Edu’s leadership of women’s political mobilisation within the APC did not begin with the humanitarian affairs controversy. Concerns about her relationship with established female party officials had already emerged in July 2023, months before her ministerial suspension.

Nine elected female APC national officers and zonal women leaders reportedly challenged her leadership, accusing her of excluding key party officials from important engagements and failing to adequately represent the women’s political structures she claimed to speak for.

The disagreement became particularly pronounced following a visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on July 13, 2023.

According to a petition dated July 14, 2023, the aggrieved women alleged that they had neither been informed about nor invited to the visit, despite the delegation reportedly being presented as representing national stakeholders and zonal women leaders.

The petitioners argued that their exclusion undermined their positions within the party and denied them the opportunity to communicate their concerns directly to the president. They also questioned whether the delegation adequately represented elected female party officials, women legislators and other prominent stakeholders. The women reportedly passed a vote of no confidence in Edu’s leadership and requested an opportunity to meet the president themselves.

At the heart of the dispute was a fundamental question: could a national women’s mobilisation structure succeed without the active participation of elected female officials, established party leaders and grassroots organisations? The aggrieved women also alleged that Edu had operated in isolation during the electioneering process.

 Their concerns reflected a broader argument that political mobilisation requires consultation, inclusiveness and respect for existing party structures rather than leadership driven by individual influence. These disagreements were particularly significant because grassroots women’s organisations often provide important links between political parties and voters across communities.

Against this background, Edu’s reported appointment as Director of Women Mobilisation in Tinubu’s 2027 campaign structure generated renewed debate among women within the APC. For those who had previously questioned her leadership, the appointment raised concerns about whether the party had adequately considered the need for reconciliation, inclusiveness and confidence-building among its female stakeholders.

Some women reportedly feared that the same disagreements that had characterised her earlier leadership could resurface during preparations for the 2027 elections.

Their concern was not simply about an individual appointment; it was about whether the party could develop a united and effective mobilisation strategy capable of engaging women across Nigeria’s diverse political, cultural and regional constituencies.

The argument advanced by her critics was that women’s mobilisation cannot be sustained through appointments and public appearances alone. It requires consultation with party structures, respect for established leaders, coordination across geopolitical zones and meaningful engagement with women at the grassroots.

Where these relationships are strained, the consequences could extend beyond internal party disagreements and affect the campaign’s ability to translate political support into votes. For a party seeking to strengthen its electoral position, unity among its women leaders is not a peripheral consideration. It is an important component of campaign organisation.

The recent change in the leadership of women’s mobilisation could therefore represent an opportunity for the APC to address some of these longstanding concerns. Among women who had expressed reservations about Edu’s leadership, her removal has reportedly been welcomed as an opportunity for a fresh beginning. 

The development has also generated optimism among some women’s groups in Northern Nigeria, particularly those who believe that a more consultative approach could improve their participation in the president’s re-election campaign. However, the ultimate significance of the change will depend less on the removal of one individual than on the ability of the new leadership to build a credible, inclusive and effective mobilisation structure.

For the APC, the priority should be to bring together women who may have felt marginalised, rebuild relationships with elected female officials and ensure that grassroots organisations are treated as essential partners in the campaign.

The task is particularly important in Northern Nigeria, where women’s associations, market networks, cooperatives, community groups and local political structures can provide important channels for political communication and mobilisation.

A successful strategy must recognise the diversity of women across the region. Arewa women are not a single political bloc with identical interests or expectations. 

Their priorities vary according to location, economic circumstances, education, community affiliations and individual political preferences.

Consequently, any campaign seeking their support must move beyond broad declarations of loyalty and develop practical methods of engagement.

The emergence of APC National Women Leader Mary Idele as the figure expected to lead the women’s campaign offers an opportunity to establish a more coordinated and inclusive approach to mobilisation. Her leadership could help bridge the gap between the campaign council and established women’s political structures, provided that the process is guided by consultation, transparency and respect for the different levels of party organisation.

One of the immediate priorities should be to engage elected female party officials, zonal women leaders, women legislators, state-level organisers and grassroots representatives. These stakeholders possess local knowledge and community relationships that can help the campaign identify the issues that matter most to women.

Town-hall meetings, listening sessions, women-led advocacy programmes and direct consultations with community representatives could provide practical platforms for engagement. Such initiatives would allow women to communicate their expectations of the Tinubu administration while enabling campaign organisers to understand the concerns affecting different communities.

Equally important is the need to give women meaningful roles in campaign planning, communication and decision-making. Mobilisation is more likely to be effective when participants believe they are represented, respected and involved in shaping the political agenda. Mary Idele’s challenge, therefore, is not merely to coordinate women’s campaign activities. 

It is to build confidence, reconcile competing interests and create a structure in which women across the party feel that their contributions matter. If effectively managed, this transition could strengthen cooperation between national party leadership and grassroots women’s organisations, giving the APC a stronger foundation for its 2027 campaign..

Women’s political participation should not be measured solely by the number of rallies attended or the promises made to deliver votes. Sustainable mobilisation requires a relationship built on trust, communication and responsiveness to the concerns of ordinary people. Women’s associations, market groups, cooperatives, professional organisations and community leaders can help political parties understand local priorities and communicate policy proposals.

These networks may also provide opportunities for women to participate more actively in public discussions about economic empowerment, education, healthcare, security and social protection. For the APC, the opportunity presented by the leadership change is to demonstrate that women are valued not merely as an electoral constituency but as stakeholders in governance and political decision-making.

The campaign must also recognise that support cannot be assumed. Women, like other voters, assess political parties and candidates according to their experiences, expectations and views of government performance. Effective mobilisation must therefore combine political outreach with credible engagement on issues affecting their daily lives.

A more inclusive structure could help the party strengthen its relationship with women across the North and the South. However, its success will ultimately depend on the consistency of its engagement, the credibility of its leadership and the extent to which women’s concerns are taken seriously.

Betta Edu’s removal from the women’s mobilisation leadership of Tinubu’s 2027 campaign presents the APC with an opportunity to reassess its approach to women’s political engagement. The controversy surrounding her former ministerial office created reputational challenges, while the earlier disagreements with elected female party officials exposed questions about consultation, representation and internal cooperation. Together, these issues underscore the importance of selecting campaign leaders who can command confidence across the party’s diverse women’s structures.

For Arewa women and other female stakeholders within the APC, the leadership change may offer renewed hope for a more inclusive and coordinated campaign. Mary Idele has an opportunity to build on that optimism by strengthening grassroots participation, reconciling divided interests and ensuring that women have a meaningful voice in the campaign’s organisation.

Nevertheless, enthusiasm following a leadership change should not be mistaken for guaranteed electoral success. Promises of increased support for President Tinubu in 2027 will need to be matched by sustained engagement, effective coordination and responsiveness to the concerns of women across the country.

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Ultimately, the APC’s ability to mobilise women effectively will depend not simply on who occupies a leadership position, but on whether the party can unite its stakeholders around a common purpose. For the 2027 campaign, the central lesson is clear: women’s votes cannot be taken for granted, and women’s political leadership must be built on inclusion, trust and genuine grassroots participation.

… Mohammed writes from Abuja