BREAKING... Atiku Names Detained El-Rufai Deputy Chairman of ADC Campaign Council

By Al-Amin Ciroma 

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman of his Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The National Lens reports that the appointment was announced on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s media aide and Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.

El-Rufai was named alongside other prominent figures in the campaign structure, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam appointed Chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu designated Director-General and Campaign Manager.

According to the announced structure, El-Rufai is expected to play a role in high-level political coordination and engagement with key stakeholders across the country.

The appointment comes as El-Rufai remains in custody amid ongoing legal proceedings. The former Kaduna governor is facing separate cases, including proceedings involving allegations relating to the interception of communications.

Atiku's campaign council comprises a 69-member team structured around six major operational directorates, with 30 directors assigned specific responsibilities.

Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu has been named Deputy Director-General of the Media and Communications Directorate, while former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun will chair the Campaign Advisory Council.

Economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen will coordinate the campaign's policy team, while former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor Kingsley Moghalu is also listed among members of the policy team.

The campaign leadership said the structure was deliberately kept lean, with responsibilities clearly defined across its various directorates.

The unveiling marks a major step in the ADC's preparations for the 2027 presidential election as the party begins to organise its national campaign machinery.