The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has withdrawn the spokesperson role previously assigned to Alwan Hassan and other members of its communications team, following a major reorganisation of its media and public communication structure.
The development comes amid growing controversy surrounding Hassan’s recent television appearances, particularly his now-embarrassing performance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he attempted to showcase Nigeria’s 112 emergency telephone number as one of the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and signed by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Tinubu and Deputy Director-General (Administration) of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the party announced a restriction of official spokesperson responsibilities to three senior figures.
Under the new arrangement, only Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council; Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development; and Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, are authorised to speak officially on behalf of the campaign council.
Gbajabiamila explained that the restructuring was intended to ensure more cohesive, disciplined and effective public engagement. All previously appointed spokespersons, including Hassan, are to become members of the Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications rather than continue in their former spokesperson positions.
Although the campaign council did not expressly identify Hassan's television appearances as the reason for the decision, the timing of the announcement has attracted considerable attention, particularly because it came less than 24 hours after his controversial appearance on national television.
The 112 Emergency Number Controversy That Sparked Public Reactions
The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 10, during Hassan's appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.
While defending the Tinubu administration and highlighting its achievements, Hassan confidently introduced Nigeria's 112 emergency number as an important government initiative designed to provide assistance during medical emergencies, security threats, accidents and other distress situations.
In what appeared to be an attempt to demonstrate the government's achievement, he challenged the presenter to pick up his telephone and dial 112 live on television.
He confidently explained that the call would connect to an emergency response centre where operators would establish the nature of the emergency and dispatch the appropriate responders.
Unfortunately, the demonstration did not go according to plan.
Despite repeated attempts, the emergency number failed to connect during the live broadcast, leaving the presenter visibly unconvinced about Hassan's claims.
Okinbaloye subsequently questioned the functionality of the service, pointing out that other telephone calls were connecting from the same location. Hassan, however, maintained that the emergency number was operational and suggested that network problems might have caused the failure.
The presenter also disclosed that viewers were sending messages reporting similar difficulties connecting to the emergency number.
The incident quickly generated public criticism, with opposition politicians questioning the government's preparedness to provide reliable emergency services to Nigerians.
Interestingly, subsequent reporting by TheCable established that a test call to 112 connected to the Lagos State emergency centre, highlighting concerns about the consistency and nationwide accessibility of the service rather than conclusively establishing that the number was completely non-functional.
The Earlier Controversy Over Ministers Allegedly Paying Billions
Hassan had also attracted considerable attention over another controversial statement during a previous television appearance, when he boldly claimed that some ministers paid billions of naira to secure ministerial appointments.
The allegation generated questions about the integrity of political appointments and the circumstances surrounding the selection of government ministers.
The APC's National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, subsequently clarified that Hassan's comments referred to the previous administration and not the Tinubu government.
With the 2027 presidential election approaching, the APC appears increasingly conscious of the importance of disciplined public communication and carefully coordinated media representation.
The latest restructuring therefore raises questions about whether the party is beginning to recognise that defending an administration on national television requires more than political confidence and aggressive rhetoric.
For Hassan, however, the timing of his removal from the spokesperson lineup has provided another major talking point in Nigeria's increasingly dramatic political landscape.
Apparently, demonstrating government achievements on live television can sometimes become an emergency of its own!
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