ABUJA — African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has unveiled his national campaign structure for the 2027 presidential election, naming Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman.
Senator Austin Akobundu was appointed Director-General and Campaign Manager, with responsibility for the day-to-day coordination and implementation of the campaign’s strategy.
Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu was named Deputy Director-General of the Media and Communications Directorate, while former Senator Dino Melaye will play a role in national outreach, mobilisation and public engagement.
The appointments were announced in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Director of Strategic Communications for the campaign council.
Atiku said the campaign structure would comprise six operational directorates and 30 directors, with responsibilities designed to limit duplication, reduce bureaucracy and strengthen accountability.
He described the structure as deliberately lean, saying its size was intended to reflect the economic pressures facing Nigerians.
“The size and character of the Council deliberately reflect the mood of the nation and the severe economic realities confronting millions of Nigerians,” Atiku said.
He added that the campaign would not be built around what he described as “titles, privileges and political patronage”, but would instead emphasise competence, accountability, national inclusion and measurable results.
Ibrahim-Imam, El-Rufai Lead Campaign Structure
Ibrahim-Imam, an experienced political organiser and administrator, will provide political leadership as chairman of the National Campaign Council.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and two-term governor of Kaduna State, will serve as deputy chairman, with responsibility for high-level political coordination and engagement with stakeholders.
Akobundu will oversee the campaign’s operational machinery, including implementation of strategy and coordination among its various directorates.
The Media and Communications Directorate will be responsible for the campaign’s activities across traditional, broadcast and digital platforms under Momodu’s leadership.
The campaign has also named former Edo State Governor and pioneer All Progressives Congress national chairman John Oyegun as chairman of its Advisory Council. Senator Ben Obi and Lawal Batagarawa will serve as deputy chairmen, while Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, will be secretary.
Policy Team Targets Economic Pressures
Atiku said the campaign’s policy team would be led by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, supported by Professor Mohammed Sagagi and Aare Aremijoye.
The policy agenda is expected to focus on issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity, declining purchasing power and governance.
The campaign said its structure was intended to link political mobilisation with policy development and clearer accountability for campaign activities.
The appointments come as political parties prepare for the 2027 presidential election, which INEC has scheduled for February 20, 2027. The commission has also published the timetable governing the electoral process.
Moghalu Rejects Inclusion in Atiku Campaign
However, the unveiling was followed by a clarification from former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor Kingsley Moghalu, who rejected his inclusion in the campaign’s policy team.
Moghalu said he was neither consulted nor asked to consent before his name was announced as a member of the team.
“I was not consulted and did not give my consent to my name being published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team,” he said in a statement posted on X.
Moghalu added that he was “not, in fact, a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity.”
He said he had withdrawn from partisan politics in 2022 and maintained a non-partisan position on national affairs.
Moghalu said his current professional engagements include the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, IGET Africa, which he described as a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, as well as Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.
He stressed that remaining outside partisan politics did not mean disengagement from Nigeria’s development.
“I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not have to entail ANY partisan alignment,” he said.
“I have adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship.”
Moghalu’s clarification means the campaign’s announced policy structure will require adjustment if his stated position remains unchanged. The campaign had earlier listed him alongside Hayatudeen and Sa