The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has approved the composition of his 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, naming 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 issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the campaign council and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku. TheCable also confirmed the appointments, reporting that Senator Austin Akobundu will serve as Director-General and Campaign Manager.
Atiku’s campaign structure includes six operational directorates and 30 directors with defined responsibilities.
The former vice president said the structure was designed around what he described as the economic realities facing Nigerians, including rising food prices, increasing transport costs, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
At the top of the structure are Atiku as presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi as vice-presidential candidate and Senator David Mark as national chairman.
The campaign leadership is as follows:
Campaign Principals
- Presidential Candidate: Atiku Abubakar
- Vice-Presidential Candidate: Rotimi Amaechi
- National Chairman: Senator David Mark
- Council Chairman: Kashim Ibrahim-Imam
- Deputy Chairman: Nasir El-Rufai
- Director-General/Campaign Manager: Senator Austin Akobundu
The Campaign Advisory Board will be chaired by former Edo State governor and pioneer APC national chairman John Oyegun, with Lawal Batagarawa as deputy chairman and Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, as secretary. Members include Senator Ireti Kingibe and Hajia Naja’atu Mohammed.
The Policy Team will be led by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, with Prof. Mohammed Sagagi as deputy chairman. Members include Dr Kingsley Moghalu, Prof. Mustapha Akinkunmi and Senator Abdul Ningi, while Aare Aremijoye will serve as secretary.
Senior campaign advisers include Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Emeka Ihedioha, Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, Senator Felix Ogunwale and Senator Patricia Akwashiki.
The campaign management committee will be headed by Akobundu, with CID Maduabum as Head of Research and Documentation and Shaibu Enejo Aruwa, SAN, as Head of Legal Services.
The Administration Directorate will be headed by Yusuf Suleiman as Deputy Director-General. Its units will cover administration, general services, special duties, finance and accounts, logistics, protocol and medical services.
The Operations Directorate will be led by Chief Ralph Nwosu, with responsibilities including organisation and field operations, strategy and planning, security, and diaspora and foreign operations.
Retired General Kabiru G. Nadama will head the security unit, while the intelligence position was left vacant on the published structure.
The Media and Communications Directorate will be headed by veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu as Deputy Director-General.
Its units include strategic communication, media and publicity, branding, digital and online media, and content development.
Phrank Shaibu will oversee Strategic Communication, Kola Ologbondiyan Media and Publicity, Ladan SalihuBranding, Moji Rhodes-Vivour Digital and Online Media, and David Iyofor Content Development.
The listed campaign spokespersons are Kenneth Okonkwo, Keturah King, Nana Kazaure, Dr Uche Diala and Alhaji Dahiru Maishanu, while Chief Charles Ojugbana will serve as campaign master of ceremonies.
The Contact and Mobilisation Directorate will be headed by Senator Dino Melaye. Its areas of responsibility include mandate protection, women mobilisation, persons with disabilities, stakeholder engagement and youth mobilisation.
Solomon Dalung will head Mandate Protection, Naomi Labari Women Mobilisation, Dr Chike Okogwu Persons with Disabilities, Oladimeji Fabiyi Stakeholder Engagement and Balarabe Rufai Youth Mobilisation.
The Diversity and Support Groups Directorate will be led by Salihu Tanko Yakasai. Its units cover support groups, NGOs and civil society organisations, business and professional bodies, gender issues, and the entertainment and creative industry.
The Technical and Systems Directorate will be headed by Lauretta Onochie. Its units include election operations and management, polling unit operations, voter intelligence, monitoring and evaluation, and the situation room.
The campaign’s policy team will be responsible for developing the policy framework, while the operational directorates will handle mobilisation, communications, technical preparations and other campaign activities.
Atiku said the campaign council would focus on issues affecting Nigerians and that its performance would be measured by how effectively it addresses concerns around the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
The unveiling comes as political parties and presidential candidates begin putting structures in place ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC’s timetable provides for the commencement of the presidential campaign period from August 19, 2026.
The ADC campaign council is one of several political structures being assembled ahead of the election. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), for example, has also been working on its campaign council for its presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, although a separate structure unveiled by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement recently triggered a dispute over whether it had party approval.
Atiku’s newly announced structure therefore formally sets out the individuals responsible for the different areas of his ADC campaign as preparations for the 2027 election continue.
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