The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has shortlisted Senators Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Austin Akobundu as main personalities for Director General (DG) of its Presidential Campaign Council, Nigerian Tribune gathered on Wednesday.
Reliable sources within the party said the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) will soon constitute the council for the ADC presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. Either Tambuwal or Akobundu is expected to be named DG to lead the campaign.
Senator Tambuwal represents Sokoto South Senatorial District in the 10th Senate and ranks among the most experienced lawmakers in the Red Chamber.
The two-term governor of Sokoto State, 2015 to 2023, was Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015.
He represented Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency from 2003 to 2015, and became the first opposition member to emerge as Speaker in Nigeria’s 4th Republic.
A lawyer called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992, he holds an LLB from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and an LLM from the University of Abuja.
Tambuwal began his political career in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) before moving to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 and returned to the PDP in 2018. He was a presidential aspirant on the PDP platform in 2022 before joining the ADC earlier this year. He wields considerable influence in Northwest politics.
Senator Augustine Akobundu represents Abia Central Senatorial District. He was first elected to the Senate in 2023.
A retired Colonel in the Nigerian Army, he served as Minister of State for Defence. He was also National Organising Secretary of the PDP and later PDP National Vice Chairman, South East.
Akobundu was elected on the PDP platform but resigned in March 2026, citing ‘intractable crises’ in the party, and defected to the ADC.
Public campaigns by presidential and National Assembly candidates commenced on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, in line with the 2027 election timetable released by INEC.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 16 January 2027.