Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has unveiled his campaign structure for the 2027 presidential election, naming Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman.
The campaign council was announced on Thursday, September 24, as political parties and presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku’s campaign said the structure had been deliberately designed as a lean organisation with defined responsibilities across six operational directorates. The council will have 30 directors, while Senator Austin Akobundu will serve as Director-General and Campaign Manager.
Ibrahim-Imam, El-Rufai take top campaign roles
According to the structure announced by Atiku’s team, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will chair the National Campaign Council, while El-Rufai will serve as Deputy Chairman.
Ibrahim-Imam, a former governorship candidate in Borno State and political organiser, is expected to provide political leadership at the council level.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Kaduna State, will be responsible for high-level political coordination and engagement with stakeholders, according to the campaign.
The appointment places two experienced political figures at the centre of Atiku’s national campaign structure as the ADC prepares for the presidential contest.
Senator Austin Akobundu named campaign DG
Senator Austin Akobundu was appointed Director-General and Campaign Manager.
His responsibilities include coordinating the campaign’s various arms, implementing its strategy and ensuring discipline and accountability across the structure.
The campaign has been divided into six major operational directorates, each headed by a Deputy Director-General. Thirty directors will work across the directorates with specific responsibilities.
The campaign says the lean structure is intended to reduce duplication and bureaucracy while ensuring that each office has a clearly defined role.
Dele Momodu, Dino Melaye get key roles
Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu has been named Deputy Director-General of the Media and Communications Directorate.
He will coordinate the campaign’s communication activities across traditional media, broadcast and digital platforms.
Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye is also listed as a key figure in the campaign’s contact and mobilisation structure.
The campaign’s leadership includes Atiku as presidential candidate, former Senate President David Mark as ADC National Chairman and Rotimi Amaechi as Atiku’s running mate.
Hayatu-Deen to lead policy team
Economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen will head the campaign’s policy team.
He will work with other policy figures to develop proposals around issues the campaign says are central to the 2027 contest, including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity, declining purchasing power and governance.
Former Edo State Governor and pioneer APC National Chairman John Oyegun will chair the Campaign Advisory Council.
Moghalu disputes inclusion in campaign team
However, one aspect of the announcement has already generated clarification.
Former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor Professor Kingsley Moghalu has said he was not consulted before his name appeared among members of Atiku’s policy team.
Moghalu reportedly made the clarification on Thursday after the campaign structure was released, saying he had neither been consulted nor asked to consent to the appointment.
His statement means his inclusion in the original campaign announcement should not be treated as confirmed participation without further clarification from both sides.
Atiku: Campaign must reflect Nigeria’s economic realities
Atiku’s campaign said the size and structure of the council were influenced by the economic pressures facing Nigerians.
The campaign said it would avoid what it described as a bloated structure centred on titles and political patronage, instead emphasising defined responsibilities and accountability.
The former vice president said the campaign’s focus would extend beyond political mobilisation to issues affecting households and businesses across Nigeria.
Among the issues highlighted are rising living costs, unemployment, insecurity, declining purchasing power and governance.
The campaign said its performance should ultimately be measured by the clarity of its policies and how effectively it engages with the concerns of Nigerians.
What this means for the 2027 race
The unveiling of Atiku’s campaign council marks another significant step in the build-up to the 2027 presidential election.
The appointments bring together politicians, former public officials, media professionals and policy experts within the ADC candidate’s campaign structure.
The council will now be expected to translate Atiku’s political programme into a national campaign operation, while building structures for communication, mobilisation and engagement with voters ahead of the election.
With El-Rufai taking the deputy chairman role and Ibrahim-Imam heading the council, the campaign has placed experienced political figures at the centre of its national coordination.
At the same time, the clarification from Moghalu shows that some elements of the newly released list may still require confirmation from the individuals named.
For now, the announcement establishes the core structure of Atiku’s 2027 campaign as the political contest gradually moves towards the next phase.
