Moghalu Rejects Inclusion in Atiku’s 2027 Campaign Policy Team

Former Deputy Governor of the CentraBank of Nigeria, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has rejected his inclusion in the policy team of African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election. Moghalu said he was neither consulted nor asked to give his consent before his name was published as a member of the campaign's policy team. His clarification came shortly after Atiku's campaign unveiled its structure for the 2027 presidential election, in which Moghalu was listed among members of the policy team. In a statement posted on his social media account on Thursday, Moghalu said he was surprised to see his name included in the campaign structure. He maintained that he was not a member of Atiku's policy team and had not agreed to participate in the campaign, either formally or informally. “I was not consulted and did not give my consent to my name being published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team,” Moghalu stated. He further clarified that he was not serving as a member of the team in any unofficial or advisory capacity. Moghalu reaffirms non-partisan position The former CBN deputy governor also used the statement to reiterate his decision to stay outside partisan politics. Moghalu said he had quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022 and had maintained a non-partisan position on national affairs since then. He said he was not a member or sympathiser of any political party in the country. According to Moghalu, remaining outside party politics did not mean he had withdrawn from issues concerning Nigeria or its development. He said his current professional activities include serving as president of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, IGET Africa, which he described as a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm. Moghalu said his commitment to Nigeria could exist independently of political-party affiliation. “I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not have to entail ANY partisan alignment,” he said, adding that he had chosen what he described as “statesmanship, not partisanship.” Atiku campaign had listed Moghalu Moghalu's statement followed the announcement of Atiku's 2027 campaign structure by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku. The structure named Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman of the National Campaign Council, while former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was appointed deputy chairman. Senator Austin Akobundu was named Director-General and Campaign Manager. The campaign's Policy Team was announced with economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen as chairman and Professor Mohammed Sagagi as deputy chairman. Moghalu was listed alongside other members of the team. According to the campaign, the policy team is expected to work on proposals addressing issues affecting Nigerians, including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power. However, Moghalu's subsequent statement means his name should no longer be presented as an active member of that team without qualification. Campaign structure unveiled ahead of 2027 The announcement forms part of Atiku's preparations for the 2027 presidential election. The campaign structure includes several politicians and public figures assigned to different areas of the presidential campaign. Former Edo State Governor and former APC National Chairman John Oyegun was named chairman of the Campaign Advisory Council, while former Senator Dino Melaye was assigned responsibility for national outreach, mobilisation and public engagement. Former governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Emeka Ihedioha were also listed among the campaign's senior advisers. The campaign said its structure would focus on issues including food, transportation and energy costs, unemployment, insecurity, declining purchasing power and governance. Moghalu's rejection of the policy-team listing therefore comes at the beginning of the campaign's formal preparations and represents a clarification of his own political position rather than an announcement of a new political affiliation. No indication Moghalu joined Atiku's campaign The available reports do not establish that Moghalu had previously accepted a position in Atiku's campaign before making his clarification. Instead, the sequence reported by multiple outlets is that his name appeared in the campaign structure and he subsequently stated that he had not been consulted or given permission for its inclusion. This distinction is significant because describing the development as Moghalu “leaving” or “quitting” Atiku's campaign could imply that he had first accepted the role. His own statement indicates otherwise. Moghalu's position, as publicly stated, is that he remains outside partisan politics and is not affiliated with Atiku's campaign or any Nigerian political party. For now, the former CBN deputy governor's name has therefore been publicly separated from the ADC campaign policy team, despite its appearance in the initial campaign announcement.