The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has stripped its chieftain, Alwan Hassan, of his role as a campaign spokesman following the controversy surrounding his failed attempt to demonstrate the effectiveness of Nigeria’s 112 emergency telephone number on live television.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the campaign council and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the council, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Under the revised communication structure, only the Director-General of the campaign council, Abdulaziz Yari; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, are authorised to speak officially for the campaign.
Hassan, alongside three other former spokespersons, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda, has been removed from the list of authorised campaign voices but will retain membership of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications.
The council said the restructuring was intended to strengthen its communication strategy and ensure consistency in its public engagements.
It stated, “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 council further directed radio and television stations to adhere to the new arrangement, adding that designated representatives would be assigned to media appearances whenever necessary.
Hassan’s removal came a day after his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration and listed the 112 emergency number among the government’s achievements.
During the programme, Hassan urged the presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, to dial the emergency number to demonstrate how Nigerians could access assistance during medical emergencies, security threats and road accidents.
“Take your phone and call 112. Nobody knows about this. We used to hear it in America, 911. Call 112 now, put it on the speaker, and they’ll ask you what’s your emergency,” he said.
However, the demonstration turned embarrassing when repeated attempts by Okinbaloye to connect to the emergency line failed. Hassan blamed the development on a possible network problem and maintained that the service was functional, but the presenter questioned the explanation, noting that other telephone calls from the studio were connecting successfully.
The campaign council’s latest decision leaves Yari, Alake and Idris as the only officials authorised to speak on its behalf.
