2027: El-Rufai’s Inclusion In Campaign Council Will Haunt, Hurt APC, Says ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the inclusion of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in its Presidential Campaign Council will “haunt” and “hurt” the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the decision was deliberately taken by the party leadership as part of its preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Olagbondiyan, stated this while defending El-Rufai’s appointment as Deputy Chairman of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.

El-Rufai was named Deputy Chairman of the 69-member campaign council headed by Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, while Senator Austin Akobundu was appointed Director-General and Campaign Manager.
Olagbondiyan said the decision to nominate El-Rufai was within the wisdom of the ADC leadership, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi.

According to him, it was also within the rights of the party to choose those who would participate in the leadership of its campaign organisation, adding that such rights had been “democratically deployed.”
He said it was equally within El-Rufai’s right and choice to accept the responsibility offered to him by the campaign.

The ADC spokesman, however, took particular aim at what he described as the reaction of the APC to El-Rufai’s nomination, saying the ruling party was concerned because it recognised the former Kaduna governor’s political strength.

“The ADC Campaign has noted the hurtful pains of the failing APC over the nomination of Mallam El-Rufai,” Olagbondiyan said.

He added: “It is trite knowledge that the APC is expressing such fears because they know the political strength of Mallam in and outside the walls they have kept him.”

Olagbondiyan insisted that the ADC had no regrets over El-Rufai’s inclusion in its presidential campaign council.

“As far as our choices in ADC are concerned, we harbour no regrets, particularly in the choice of Mallam El-Rufai as a member of the Presidential Campaign Council,” he said.

He further claimed that El-Rufai’s presence on the campaign council would continue to concern the APC.

“The ADC holds that the image of El-Rufai’s presence on our presidential campaign council list will continue to haunt, hurt and shame the APC,” he said.

Olagbondiyan also rejected any suggestion that El-Rufai’s current detention would weaken the ADC’s campaign.

According to him, the former Kaduna governor remained politically relevant to the campaign despite his circumstances.

“But Mallam is with us in spirit and in action, alongside millions of his supporters,” he said.

El-Rufai’s appointment has attracted particular attention because he remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) amid ongoing legal proceedings.

His inclusion has therefore raised questions about how he would participate in campaign activities while in custody.

The unveiling of the campaign council has also generated controversy over consultation and the participation of some party members.

However, ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufai, has rejected reports suggesting that he was the party youth leader who resigned from the ADC following the unveiling of the campaign council.

Rufai said in a statement that it had come to his notice that an individual was circulating a resignation letter on social media and claiming to be the ADC National Youth Leader.

He said the development was misleading, noting that he remained the National Youth Leader of the party and had also been appointed to head Youth Mobilisation in Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign structure.

The ADC’s official website currently lists Balarabe Rufai as its National Youth Leader, while the published campaign structure names him as the person responsible for Youth Mobilisation under the Contact and Mobilisation Directorate.

Rufai said the resignation letter being circulated was part of what he described as an attempt to create confusion within the party.

He alleged that those behind the development were working with individuals linked to the APC and had been attempting to create divisions within the ADC.

According to him, the individuals involved had allegedly held what he described as secret discussions with APC-linked actors while presenting themselves as members of the ADC.

Rufai further alleged that recordings of conversations between the individuals and their alleged APC contacts existed and could be made public.

He said the controversy was an attempt to distract attention from the ADC’s campaign preparations, adding that the party would continue with its mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Rufai also pointed to his appointment to lead Youth Mobilisation as evidence of his continuing role in the campaign structure.

The campaign council list shows Rufai under the Contact and Mobilisation Directorate headed by former Senator Dino Melaye, with responsibility for Youth Mobilisation.

The development comes against the backdrop of reports that another ADC youth official, Sultan Bello, submitted a resignation letter from the party on September 24, shortly after the campaign council was unveiled.

Bello reportedly cited his exclusion from the campaign structure despite his involvement in the party’s activities.

His resignation, however, should not be presented as having been caused by El-Rufai’s appointment, as the reported resignation letter and available accounts do not establish such a direct connection.

Defending the process through which the campaign council was constituted, Olagbondiyan said the party consulted widely before the names were announced.

“Everything was put into consideration and members were consulted widely before the campaign council members were named. So there is nobody left out without being carried along in the spirit of oneness,” he said.

That assertion has also come under scrutiny following the reaction of former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu.

Moghalu, whose name appeared in the campaign’s Policy Team, said he was not consulted before his name was included and subsequently rejected the appointment.

He said he had withdrawn from partisan politics since 2022 and was neither a member nor sympathiser of any political party.

The two developments have brought the issue of consultation into focus, although they involve different circumstances.

While Bello was reported to have resigned from the ADC after the campaign council was announced, Moghalu said he was not participating in partisan politics and objected to his inclusion in the campaign structure.

The campaign council includes several prominent political figures assigned responsibilities across different areas of the ADC’s campaign organisation.

Former Edo State Governor and former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, heads the Campaign Advisory Board, while former presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen heads the Policy Team.

Former Senator Dino Melaye is responsible for Contact and Mobilisation, while Dele Momodu was appointed Deputy Director-General in charge of Media and Communications.

Balarabe Rufai is responsible for Youth Mobilisation, while other officials were assigned responsibilities covering women mobilisation, stakeholder engagement, mandate protection and persons with disabilities.

The structure is expected to coordinate the ADC’s mobilisation, communications, policy and other campaign activities ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.