Atiku Abubakar has stepped up preparations for the 2027 presidential election after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate approved a campaign structure to coordinate his activities ahead of the January poll.
The Atiku Abubakar 2027 campaign now has a National Campaign Council and a Presidential Campaign Management Committee, with several experienced politicians and professionals taking up key positions. The development comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published its final list of presidential candidates for the election.
INEC’s final list names Atiku as the ADC presidential candidate and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. The commission listed 18 presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
Atiku Abubakar 2027 Campaign Council Takes Shape
Atiku has appointed Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman of his National Campaign Council, while former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai will serve as deputy chairman.
Senator Austin Akobundu will work as Director-General and Campaign Manager. His responsibilities include coordinating the campaign’s operations and ensuring that the different parts of the campaign structure work together.
The campaign structure also includes veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu, who will serve as Deputy Director-General of the Media and Communications Directorate. The council also includes former senator Dino Melaye and other political figures with roles across its various directorates.
According to Atiku’s campaign team, the structure will operate through six major directorates and 30 directors. The campaign said it designed the arrangement to give each official clear responsibilities while limiting unnecessary bureaucracy.
The campaign’s policy team will also play a major role in developing its proposals. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen will coordinate the team, working alongside Professor Mohammed Sagagi and former Central Bank of Nigeria deputy governor Kingsley Moghalu.
ADC Prepares for the 2027 Presidential Race
The Atiku Abubakar 2027 campaign will focus on national mobilisation as the presidential contest moves closer. His campaign team has said it will address issues such as food prices, transportation costs, energy expenses, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
The campaign structure comes at a time when Nigeria’s opposition landscape has changed considerably since the 2023 presidential election. Atiku contested that election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Peter Obi ran under the Labour Party and Bola Tinubu represented the All Progressives Congress (APC).
For the 2027 election, Atiku is running under the ADC, while Tinubu is seeking another term under the APC. Peter Obi is also contesting again, this time under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). INEC has officially included all three candidates in its final presidential list.
The ADC has also continued to develop its campaign structure across the country as the election approaches. The party has released lists of candidates for several state governorship contests and other positions, indicating that it is building a wider electoral organisation beyond the presidential race.
Atiku’s campaign council has said its initial appointments do not represent the final structure. Phrank Shaibu, the council’s Director of Strategic Communications, said further appointments would follow as consultations continue and the campaign expands its operations across the country.
With INEC’s final presidential list now published, the major political parties and candidates can move into a more defined phase of the 2027 election campaign. Atiku Abubakar will now lead the ADC presidential campaign as the party works to organise its structures, communicate its policy positions and mobilise voters ahead of the January 16 election.
