Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has approved the composition of his Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections, naming a 69-member team led by Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as Chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman.
The appointments were announced on Thursday in Abuja by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku. Senator Austin Akobundu was named Director-General and Campaign Manager, with responsibility for coordinating the campaign's operations and translating its strategy into action. The structure also includes a Campaign Advisory Council chaired by former Edo State Governor and pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Oyegun, with Senator Ben Obi and Lawal Batagarawa as Deputy Chairmen and Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as Secretary.
According to Shaibu, the campaign structure comprises six Deputy Directors-General overseeing operational directorates, with 30 directors assigned specific responsibilities. Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu will head the Media and Communications Directorate as Deputy Director-General, while former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye will lead Contact and Mobilisation. The Policy Team will be chaired by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who will work with Professor Mohammed Sagagi and other members, including Professor Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Atiku said the appointments formed part of a lean campaign structure designed to ensure clear responsibilities, accountability and effective coordination. "The size and character of the Council deliberately reflect the mood of the nation and the severe economic realities confronting millions of Nigerians," he said. "At a time when families are being compelled to do more with less, the campaign must demonstrate the same discipline, prudence and sensitivity it seeks to bring to government." He stressed that the campaign would not be a bloated organisation built around titles, privileges and political patronage, but would operate as a people-driven organisation anchored on competence, accountability, national inclusion and measurable results.
Describing Ibrahim-Imam as an experienced political organiser and administrator with decades of involvement in national politics, Atiku said El-Rufai brought extensive experience in public administration, political organisation and executive governance to the leadership of the council. The former vice president said El-Rufai's role would include high-level political coordination and engagement with critical stakeholders across the country. He said Senator Akobundu, as Director-General and Campaign Manager, would oversee the day-to-day running and coordination of the campaign, implementing its strategies, coordinating its various arms and maintaining discipline, unity and accountability across the national structure.
The campaign has been divided into six major operational directorates, each headed by a Deputy Director-General, with 30 Directors assigned clearly defined responsibilities. Shaibu said the structure was deliberately kept lean to prevent duplication, reduce bureaucracy and ensure that every office had a specific function and every appointee was accountable for results. "When families are struggling with food prices, transport costs and shrinking incomes, a campaign asking for their trust must show discipline in how it operates," he said. The campaign, he added, would focus on issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power. "Our measure of success will be how clearly we address the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power—and how effectively we organise to make Nigeria affordable again," he said.
The unveiling of the campaign council comes as Atiku prepares for a third bid for the presidency, this time on the platform of the ADC, with former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his vice-presidential candidate. The ADC had earlier submitted Atiku's name and Amaechi's name to the Independent National Electoral Commission. The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, with the governorship and state assembly elections following on February 6.
The composition of the campaign council reflects an attempt to build a broad coalition that extends beyond the ADC's traditional support base. The inclusion of El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, brings a figure with deep connections across the northern political establishment. Oyegun, another pioneer of the APC, adds institutional memory and credibility among older political stakeholders. The appointment of Melaye, known for his combative style and mobilisation skills, signals a determination to compete aggressively for votes across the country. Momodu's role in media and communications suggests a focus on shaping the campaign's public narrative in a crowded and contested information environment. The presence of Moghalu and Hayatu-Deen on the policy team points to an emphasis on economic and policy credibility.
The decision to maintain a lean structure is a deliberate contrast to the often sprawling campaign organisations that characterise Nigerian presidential bids. Atiku's campaign is presenting the compact structure as a reflection of fiscal discipline and a response to the economic hardship facing Nigerians under the current administration. By framing the campaign's organisation as a preview of how his government would manage resources, Atiku is attempting to draw a direct link between campaign discipline and governance competence.
The campaign will need to navigate a challenging political landscape. President Bola Tinubu is seeking a second term on the platform of the APC, while former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is running on the ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate. Several other candidates are also on the ballot. The ADC's campaign will seek to position Atiku as the candidate best equipped to address the economic challenges that have dominated the national conversation, including the cost-of-living crisis and the rising cost of petrol.
The coming weeks will determine whether the lean structure can effectively coordinate a nationwide campaign across Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The campaign council is expected to coordinate Atiku's presidential campaign activities nationwide, with the various directorates working to deliver a message focused on affordability, security and opportunity. As Shaibu put it, the measure of the campaign's success will be how clearly it addresses the issues that matter to Nigerians and how effectively it organises to make Nigeria affordable again. For now, Atiku has assembled his team, and the contest for 2027 has taken a new shape.
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