ABUJA — Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has formally constituted his campaign team for the 2027 general elections, naming former Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman of the National Campaign Council.
The strategic political appointment comes while El-Rufai remains in custody following ongoing investigations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and separate legal proceedings instituted by security agencies.
In an official unveiling statement released on Thursday, September 24, 2026, by the Director of Strategic Communications for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, the campaign structure was described as a streamlined, “lean and people-driven” operational matrix intended to avoid administrative bloat amid prevailing national economic realities.
Under the unveiled structure, elder statesman Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will serve as Chairman of the National Campaign Council, while El-Rufai has been assigned primary oversight for high-level political coordination, cross-party alignment, and national stakeholder engagements. Senator Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central, was named Director-General and Campaign Manager, tasked with executing day-to-day operations across six core operational directorates.
The campaign council features key opposition figures across various directorates: veteran media publisher Dele Momodu heads the Media and Communications Directorate, former Senator Dino Melaye leads National Mobilisation and Public Engagement, while Mohammed Hayatudeen chairs the Policy Team alongside Professor Kingsley Moghalu and Professor Mohammed Sagagi. Pioneer APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun will head the Campaign Advisory Board, with former Senator Ben Obi and Lawal Batagarawa serving as Deputy Chairmen.
Reacting to political commentary surrounding El-Rufai’s detention, the campaign organization asserted that the former governor’s inclusion underscores a collective commitment to institutional accountability, democratic survival, and opposition solidarity ahead of the 2027 polls. The ADC emphasized that its campaign will center squarely on economic relief, food security, energy affordability, and structural governance reforms.
