Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has approved the composition of his campaign council for the 2027 presidential election, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman.
The appointments were announced on Thursday in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council and Senior Special Assistant to Atiku.
Sen. Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central, was appointed Director-General and Campaign Manager, with responsibility for coordinating and implementing campaign activities nationwide.
According to the statement, Akobundu, a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army and former Minister of State for Defence, brings military, administrative, legislative and political experience to the role.
The campaign structure comprises six operational directorates, each headed by a Deputy Director-General, with 30 directors assigned specific responsibilities.
Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu will head the Media and Communications Directorate as Deputy Director-General, overseeing media operations across traditional, broadcast and digital platforms.
Sen. Dino Melaye will also serve in the campaign structure, with responsibilities covering political mobilisation, national outreach and public engagement.
The statement said economist, banker and public policy practitioner Mohammed Hayatudeen would coordinate the policy team, alongside Professor Mohammed Sagagi and Aare Aremijoye.
It also named former Edo State Governor and pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun, as chairman of the Campaign Advisory Council.
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Former Senator Ben Obi and Lawal Batagarawa were named deputy chairmen, while Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, was appointed secretary.
The campaign is expected to focus on issues including the cost of food, transportation and energy, unemployment, insecurity, purchasing power and governance challenges.
However, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, later said he was neither consulted nor had given consent for his name to be included in the campaign’s policy team.
Moghalu said he had left partisan politics in 2022 and maintained a non-partisan position, while remaining engaged in public policy and national affairs.
