Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has named Nasir el-Rufai to his campaign council for the 2027 elections. The former Kaduna State governor will serve as deputy chairman. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who contested the ADC presidential primary alongside Atiku, will coordinate the campaign policy team.
Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s media aide, announced the appointments in a statement issued on Thursday. Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will chair the council. Austin Akobundu will serve as director-general and campaign manager, responsible for coordinating campaign structures and operations.
The composition of the council reveals a strategic calculation. El-Rufai, a former governor and founding member of the All Progressives Congress, brings political weight and a reputation for administrative competence. His relationship with the APC has fractured, making him available for opposition politics. Hayatu-Deen, a former banker and economist, brings policy credibility and the backing of the faction he represented in the ADC primary.
This mirrors the 2019 and 2023 coalition-building efforts that brought together defectors from the ruling party with opposition figures. The difference now is that the APC under President Bola Tinubu has consolidated control of state institutions. Opposition coalitions face a higher bar to convert elite defections into electoral gains.
El-Rufai’s appointment raises immediate questions. He is reportedly in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The commission has not disclosed the nature of its investigation. His ability to function as deputy chairman while under investigation remains unclear.
The council also includes Dino Melaye, a former senator known for his vocal criticism of the APC. Kingsley Moghalu, a former presidential candidate, rejected his inclusion in the campaign policy team. “I was not consulted,” Moghalu said. His rejection signals that the coalition remains a work in progress.
Winners and Losers
Winners: Atiku Abubakar, who has assembled a council with name recognition and policy depth. Nasir el-Rufai, who gains a platform to remain politically relevant while under investigation. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who moves from primary challenger to policy coordinator.
Losers: The APC, which loses a founding member and former governor to the opposition. Kingsley Moghalu, who gains attention for rejecting the appointment but remains outside the coalition. The ADC, which must manage internal tensions between factions represented on the council.
Bottom Line: A campaign council is not a coalition. Atiku has assembled names. The test is whether he can convert them into votes.