Atiku Picked El-Rufai to Honor His Political Sacrifice – Momodu

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Dele Momodu, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s decision to appoint former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman of his 2027 Presidential Campaign Council was partly to recognise what he described as El-Rufai’s political sacrifices.

Momodu, who serves as Deputy Director-General of the campaign’s Media and Communications Directorate, disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday.

Atiku on Thursday unveiled his campaign council, naming Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman and El-Rufai as deputy chairman.

Explaining El-Rufai’s appointment, Momodu said, “It is a way of honouring his sacrifice because his travails, I can say, are quite political in nature.”

He also argued that El-Rufai’s return to Nigeria, despite knowing that he could face arrest, demonstrated his commitment to the country.

“He’s being held down not because he has committed any crime. He could have stayed away from the country. He chose to come back to the country. He knew he was going to be arrested, and he was arrested,” Momodu said.

El-Rufai is currently facing legal proceedings and has denied wrongdoing. Momodu also criticised the bail conditions attached to the former governor’s case, describing them as excessive.

“The bail conditions given to him are so horrendous that even his enemies would wonder why he has to go through such a painful experience in the hands of a government that he helped to midwife,” he said.

Momodu further highlighted El-Rufai’s political influence, claiming that the former governor played a significant role in the emergence of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

“If not for him, I’m sure President Bola Tinubu would not be in office today,” he said.

According to Momodu, El-Rufai’s inclusion in the campaign structure reflects his political relevance and the role he could play as the ADC prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Other members of the campaign council include former APC National Chairman John Oyegun, Momodu, Dino Melaye and other political figures and party stakeholders.