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The African Action Congress (AAC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the use of the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, for a proposed Presidential Campaign Council ceremony scheduled for November 11, 2026.
The opposition party also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for 5,000 participants expected to attend from within Nigeria and abroad.
The requests were contained in a letter dated October 21, 2026, addressed to Tinubu and signed by the party’s National Secretary, Oshiokhue Philip Ikpeminoghena.
According to the letter, the AAC is making the requests in the interest of multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties.
The party also referred to arrangements reportedly made for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that opposition parties should receive comparable consideration.
However, the AAC’s request does not establish an automatic entitlement to use the Presidential Villa or receive publicly funded catering and logistical support. The Presidency would need to consider the applicable procedures, security requirements and potential costs.
AAC Requests Presidential Villa For November 11 Ceremony
In the letter, the AAC asked the President to approve the Presidential Villa as the venue for its proposed campaign council event ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party stated that it wanted to hold the ceremony at the seat of government on November 11, 2026.
Beyond the venue, the AAC requested refreshments and other logistical arrangements for 5,000 participants expected from Nigeria and abroad.
The letter did not provide a detailed breakdown of the expected attendance or estimate the cost of the requested provisions.
The party said granting its request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and ensure public institutions serve Nigerians without discrimination based on political affiliation.
It also asked the Presidency to communicate the procedures and conditions applicable to the proposed event.
As of the time of filing this report, the party’s letter had not established that the Presidency had approved the requests.
AAC Cites APC Campaign Council Inauguration
The request comes after Tinubu inaugurated the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on October 14, 2026.
The ceremony brought together party leaders and other political figures as the ruling party prepared for the 2027 presidential election.
The AAC cited the reported arrangements for the APC as part of its argument for similar consideration.
However, holding an event at a State House facility does not, by itself, establish that the government provided catering or other logistical support on the terms the AAC is requesting.
Access to a government venue and the use of public resources to support an event are separate matters. Each would require its own consideration under the applicable rules.
The Presidency has yet to publicly clarify whether it will grant the AAC’s requests or apply the same arrangements the opposition party says were made available to the APC.
Proposed Event Follows Earlier Campaign Council Announcement
The proposed November 11 ceremony also raises questions about its relationship with an earlier AAC announcement.
The party unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council on October 9, 2026, for its presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and running mate, Haruna Magashi.
The council was expected to coordinate campaign activities across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Its proposed structure included political strategists, organisers, policy advocates, media professionals, digital campaigners, election specialists, legal practitioners, finance personnel and grassroots mobilisers.
However, the October 21 letter again described the proposed November 11 event as the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council.
It was not immediately clear whether the planned gathering would be a formal ceremony for the previously announced council, a separate event or another stage of the party’s campaign preparations.
The AAC has not provided further details in the letter to clarify the relationship between the two events.
Sowore-Magashi Ticket Prepares For 2027 Election
The AAC is preparing to contest the 2027 presidential election with Sowore as its candidate and Magashi as his running mate.
Sowore, a journalist and political activist, has advocated political and economic changes and is seeking to expand the party’s support ahead of the election.
The campaign council is expected to coordinate the party’s political activities, organise grassroots mobilisation and engage voters nationwide.
Approval of the latest request would allow the party to hold its proposed gathering at the Presidential Villa, subject to the conditions set by the Presidency.
A refusal, however, would not automatically establish political discrimination without further information about the applicable rules, the reasons for the decision and how comparable applications are handled.
With November 11 approaching, the Presidency’s response will determine whether the AAC can use the requested venue and whether any of its requests for logistical support will be approved.
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