Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has approved the composition of his National Campaign Council and Presidential Campaign Management Committee for the 2027 general elections, keeping the structure deliberately small and focused on policy delivery over political patronage. The announcement was made on September 24, 2026, through a statement signed by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar.
Campaign Leadership Structure
Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, a veteran political organiser with decades of experience in national politics, will chair the National Campaign Council. Nasir El-Rufai, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Kaduna State, takes the role of Deputy Chairman, with responsibility for high-level political coordination and stakeholder engagement across the country.
Senator Austin Akobundu will serve as Director-General and Campaign Manager, handling the day-to-day running of the campaign. A serving senator representing Abia Central, retired Army colonel and former Minister of State for Defence, Akobundu will coordinate the various arms of the campaign and enforce discipline across its national structure.
Key Appointments Across Directorates
The campaign has been divided into six operational directorates, each led by a Deputy Director-General, with 30 directors assigned specific responsibilities beneath them. The structure was described as intentionally lean to cut down bureaucracy and ensure clear accountability at every level.
Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu will head the Media and Communications Directorate as Deputy Director-General, overseeing the campaign's presence across traditional, broadcast and digital platforms. Dino Melaye will also play a role in national outreach and public mobilisation.
The policy team will be coordinated by Mohammed Hayatudeen, an economist and public policy practitioner, working alongside Professor Mohammed Sagagi as Deputy Chairman and Aare Aremijoye as Secretary. Professor Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, will contribute to the campaign's economic and monetary policy capacity.
Focus on Economic Concerns
The Campaign Advisory Council will be chaired by John Oyegun, former Edo State governor and pioneer national chairman of the All Progressives Congress. Former Senator Ben Obi and Lawal Batagarawa will serve as Deputy Chairmen, with Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, as Secretary.
The statement framed the campaign's lean design as a deliberate signal to Nigerians struggling with the cost of food, transportation, energy, unemployment and insecurity. Atiku's team said the structure would prioritise policy clarity and measurable results over the distribution of titles.
"This campaign belongs to the Nigerian people," the statement said, adding that its strength would be judged by the effectiveness of its organisation and how seriously it engages the daily concerns of Nigerians. Atiku Abubakar was ratified as the ADC's presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026, weeks after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party on May 2, 2026.
