The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has removed Alwan Hassan from his position as campaign spokesman, barely 24 hours after his attempt to demonstrate the effectiveness of Nigeria’s 112 emergency number failed on live television
Hassan, who had appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday to defend President Bola Tinubu’s administration, challenged the programme’s presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, to dial the emergency number, insisting that it was fully operational.
However, repeated attempts to connect to the number failed during the broadcast, triggering controversy over the government’s emergency response system.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 11, the APC campaign council announced a restructuring of its media and communications directorate, restricting the authority to speak officially for the campaign to three designated officials.
The statement was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the campaign council, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Under the new arrangement, only the council’s Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, are authorised to speak on behalf of the campaign.
Hassan and three other previously designated spokespersons — Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda — have lost their spokesperson roles but will remain ordinary members of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.
The council explained that the restructuring was intended to promote more coordinated public communication.
“To ensure more cohesive, disciplined, and effective public engagement, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has made some changes to the structure of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications,” the statement read.
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