Nigerians have reacted to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of two former governors, Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye, once convicted for looting multi-billion naira from their states, as members of the presidential campaign council for 2027.

The Peoples Gazette reported that Messrs Dariye and Nyame were appointed as contract mobilisers on Sunday, after Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for Mr Tinubu, announced the presidential campaign council members list. 

Though President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime pardoned Messrs Dariye and Nyame in 2022, their appointment has sparked reactions, with many berating the APC and accusing Mr Tinubu of encouraging corruption.

On X, @adeoluadeyinka said, “So, people convicted and jailed for looting public funds are now part of a presidential campaign team. What message does this send about the fight against corruption? In Nigeria, it seems political relevance can matter more than accountability.”

“All Progressive Criminals. It’s in their DNA to attract thieves and criminals,” @eyebuggy wrote.

@neyoo06 said, “Why are you all crashing out about this? Isn’t that the qualifications needed to be the member of the APC criminal organisation?”

Another X user, @Goddilondon said, “I am not surprised bcos the President himself is not clean.. We can’t continue to have criminals as rulers… When thieves direct our affairs as a system, what did you expect… Association of Past Criminals (APC).”

@Colonel_blade said, “It’s a party of criminals, led by a criminal. You have to make your “bones” to join or be elevated in a gang. Nyame, Dariye, Betta Edu have all committed the commensurate crimes to make them eligible to be in Tinubu’s campaign team.”

“Like Deadly Cartels, you can never be admitted into the Tinubu Cabal if you have a clean hand/record. It’s simply too risky, and that makes you a liability. You must have serious dirt on you for them to feel comfortable with you. That provides them with the insurance they need to hold you down and stand in line against all odds. That’s the code. Nigeria is run by a criminal enterprise. They are all ex-convicts or compromised. Check!” @NaijaSpring234 said. 

Another X user, @foxyblueu, stated that “Rewarding convicted looters with key political roles shows a complete lack of shame and zero respect for the rule of law. We cannot build a functional nation when state-sanctioned theft is treated as a major qualification for leadership. This explains exactly why the fight against corruption in Nigeria remains a complete joke.”

@Onionninja said, “You steal billions, go to jail, come out, and they give you a campaign appointment. Nigeria has just done what only Nigeria can do: hire convicted looters to sell “change.” Nyame and Dariye didn’t just steal state funds; they graduated with honours, and now they’ve been enrolled as lecturers in the school of 2027 campaign strategy. Tinubu’s 2027 team did not make a mistake. They made a very honest confession. They want men who have actually moved money before, not theorists.”

“In this country, conviction is not a red flag. It is a reference letter. Jail does not cancel your political career; it just irons your agbada for the next inauguration. This isn’t rehabilitation. It’s recycling, the same way Nigeria recycles potholes every rainy season. Somewhere, Lady Justice is squinting, wondering if her blindfold was actually a job requirement for public office. In this country, prison isn’t punishment. It’s networking.”

The Gazette also reported on Saturday that Ngozi Olejeme, a former chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), and Betta Edu, a former humanitarian affairs minister, who were fingered in over N1 billion fraud, were appointed into Mr Tinubu’s campaign council.

While Ms Olejeme is facing trial for N1 billion fraud, Ms Edu is under investigation for diverting N585 million into a private account, a development that led to her sack in 2024.