El-Rufai, Akobundu, Oyegun, others to lead Atiku’s campaign

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has constituted his presidential campaign council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, a former vice-president of Nigeria, appointed Austin Akobundu, a retired colonel and senator representing Abia Central, as the director-general and campaign manager.

The composition of the council was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, the senior special assistant on public communication to Atiku.

Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, a former governorship candidate in Borno State, will serve as chairman of the council, while Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, was appointed deputy chairman.

“Mr Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will chair the Council, with Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman. Senator Austin Akobundu will serve as Director-General and Campaign Manager, responsible for turning strategy into coordinated action,” the statement said.

Atiku also appointed Dele Momodu, a former presidential aspirant, as head of media and communications, while Dino Melaye, a former senator and governorship candidate in Kogi State, will lead the contact and mobilisation team.

The presidential candidate appointed six deputy director-generals to oversee operational directorates, alongside 30 other directors.

Mohammed Hayatudeen, a former presidential aspirant, will chair the policy team, which includes Mohammed Sagagi, a professor and Kingsley Moghalu, a professor and former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others.

According to the statement, the team will develop policy proposals to address the country’s challenges.

John Oyegun, a former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), will chair the Campaign Advisory Board.

Atiku said members of the campaign council would be held accountable for their performance, adding that the campaign would focus on addressing the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

“This is a structure built for work. Every directorate has a duty. Every director has an assignment. Every appointee must account for results.

“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.

Atiku has contested Nigeria’s presidential elections multiple times, beginning with the 2007 general election, after serving as vice-president from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the 2007 general election, he contested on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC) and finished third behind Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Muhammadu Buhari of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

In 2019, he contested as the PDP’s presidential candidate but lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, polling 11,262,978 votes against the late Buhari’s 15,191,847. He again flew the PDP’s flag in 2023, finishing second to Bola Tinubu of the APC, who secured 8,794,726 votes against Atiku’s 6,984,520.

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Before these presidential contests, Atiku had also sought a presidential ticket for the 1993, 2011 and 2015 elections but failed to secure the nomination.

In the 1993 Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primary in Jos, Plateau State, he withdrew from the race before the second ballot and asked his supporters to back Moshood Abiola while he lost the 2011 PDP primary to then-President Goodluck Jonathan, and the 2014 APC primary to Mr Buhari ahead of the 2015 election.

He said earlier this year that this would be his last contest.