Former Senate President and national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai, former governor John Oyegun, former presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Senator Dino Melaye and a former presidential aide Lauretta Onochie are among the party faithful enlisted to drive the 2027 presidential campaign of the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The high-profile line-up forms part of the 69-member Presidential Campaign Council Atiku approved, with the party assembling a multi-layered campaign structure that combines political heavyweights, policy specialists, mobilisation figures, and campaign operatives ahead of the election.
Senator Austin Akobundu will serve as Director-General and Campaign Manager, placing him at the centre of the council’s day-to-day campaign operations.
El-Rufai will serve as Deputy Chairman, while Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will chair the council.
Kashim Ibrahim-Imam will chair the council, while Mark is listed among the campaign principals. Atiku’s running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, is also listed as a campaign principal.
The structure includes a five-member Campaign Advisory Board chaired by former governor John Oyegun, a six-member Policy Team headed by Mohammed Hayatudeen and a seven-member group of Senior Campaign Advisers.
Akobundu will be supported by six Deputy Directors-General overseeing Administration, Operations, Media and Communications, Contact and Mobilization, Diversity and Support Groups, and Technical and Systems.
Among the prominent appointees are Dele Momodu, who will oversee Media and Communications; Dino Melaye, Contact and Mobilisation; Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Diversity and Support Groups; and Lauretta Onochie, Technical and Systems.
The campaign also named five presidential campaign spokespersons, including Kenneth Okonkwo, Keturah King, Nana Kazaure, Uche Diala and Dahiru Maishanu.
According to a statement on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications to the campaign, the council was designed as a lean structure focused on addressing the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
‘Every directorate has a duty. Every director has an assignment. Every appointee must account for results,’ Shaibu said.
The campaign did not disclose a single overall membership figure in the statement. However, the detailed structure lists six Deputy Directors-General and 32 named portfolio heads across the six operational directorates, rather than the 30 directors stated in the introductory section.
The campaign said the structure was intended to move from strategy to coordinated nationwide mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.