Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), 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.
El-Rufai was named alongside other senior political figures in the campaign structure unveiled by Atiku, with former Borno State governorship candidate Kashim Ibrahim-Imam appointed Chairman of the council and Senator Austin Akobundu named Director-General and Campaign Manager.
The appointment places El-Rufai in a senior political coordination role within the ADC presidential campaign at a time when the former governor is involved in ongoing legal proceedings.
El-Rufai Gets Senior Role in Atiku Campaign
According to the campaign structure announced by Atiku’s team, El-Rufai will serve under Ibrahim-Imam and will be responsible for high-level political coordination and engagement with key stakeholders across the country.
Akobundu, as Director-General and Campaign Manager, will oversee the day-to-day coordination and implementation of the campaign’s strategy.
The campaign council has been organised around six operational directorates, with 30 directors assigned specific responsibilities, according to details released by the campaign. Veteran journalist and publisher Dele Momodu will oversee media and communications, while former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye will play a role in contact and mobilisation.
The Bureau Journal has been tracking Atiku’s policy and political activities ahead of 2027, including his proposal for a production-based fuel subsidy tied to domestic refining and his pledge to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and revive southern ports if elected.
Appointment Comes Amid El-Rufai’s Legal Battles
El-Rufai’s appointment comes while he remains involved in an ongoing case involving the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Reports indicate that the former governor has been in ICPC custody since February 19 after being released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while he faces proceedings connected to allegations of money laundering and conversion of public property. The allegations remain subject to the court process.
The development gives the campaign appointment an unusual legal and political context, as El-Rufai is being assigned a major role in a presidential campaign while proceedings involving him continue.
The Bureau Journal previously reported on another major political and legal development involving Atiku when the EFCC reportedly established a team to investigate matters linked to the Mambilla Power Project involving Atiku and former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.
DSS Case Over Alleged Interception of Ribadu’s Communications
El-Rufai is also facing a separate case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations relating to the interception of communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on September 22, 2026, reserved ruling until October 26 on El-Rufai’s no-case submission in the matter. He is facing an amended five-count charge and has pleaded not guilty.
The DSS case followed comments attributed to El-Rufai concerning the alleged interception of Ribadu’s telephone communications. The former governor’s defence has argued that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case requiring him to enter a defence, while the DSS has urged the court to reject the no-case submission.
The court’s eventual ruling will determine the next stage of that proceeding.
Atiku Builds Campaign Around Senior Political Figures
El-Rufai’s appointment is part of a wider effort by the ADC presidential campaign to establish its national campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 election.
Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who contested the ADC presidential primary alongside Atiku, has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the campaign’s policy team, working with other policy figures.
John Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will chair the campaign advisory board, while other politicians and professionals have been assigned responsibilities across the campaign structure.
The appointments come as opposition parties and presidential contenders continue to organise their structures ahead of the next general election.
The Bureau Journal’s 2027 elections guide provides wider context on the electoral process, reforms and major issues surrounding Nigeria’s next general election.
ADC Campaign Structure Takes Shape
Atiku’s campaign team described the structure as lean and focused on clearly defined responsibilities and accountability.
According to the campaign, the council will focus on issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power as it develops its message ahead of the presidential election.
The appointment of El-Rufai also comes amid continuing political realignment across opposition parties as politicians position themselves ahead of 2027.
The ADC has experienced both expansion and internal disputes as it develops its structures across the states. In Kebbi, for example, aggrieved ADC aspirants have challenged aspects of the party’s governorship primary process, while the party’s elders council has separately rejected reports of a rift with its Kebbi governorship campaign. The Bureau Journal previously examined the dispute.
El-Rufai Role Adds Political Weight to Campaign
As deputy chairman, El-Rufai is expected to contribute to the campaign’s political coordination and stakeholder engagement across the country.
His appointment places a former governor and former Federal Capital Territory minister in one of the most senior positions within Atiku’s presidential campaign structure.
It also comes at a politically significant moment, with the ADC seeking to translate its opposition coalition into a national campaign organisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
However, El-Rufai’s participation in the campaign will unfold alongside his ongoing legal proceedings. The cases before the courts remain separate from his political appointment, and the allegations against him have not been established as criminal convictions.
For the ADC, the immediate task will be to operationalise the new campaign structure, coordinate its national directorates and present its policy agenda to voters as the 2027 election approaches.
The Bureau Journal will continue to monitor developments surrounding Atiku, El-Rufai, the ADC campaign structure and the wider political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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