2027: Moghalu rejects inclusion in Atiku’s campaign team

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, has distanced himself from the 2027 presidential campaign team of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Moghalu said he was not consulted before his name was announced as a member of Atiku’s campaign Policy Team.

In a statement shared on his X handle on Thursday, the former CBN deputy governor said he neither received an invitation nor gave his consent to serve on the team.

His statement followed the unveiling of Atiku’s Presidential Campaign Council, where Moghalu was listed among members of the Policy Team.

Moghalu’s rejection came shortly after the campaign organisation released the names of members expected to work on its policy direction ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The team is chaired by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, with Professor Mohammed Sagagi as deputy chairman.

“I am surprised to see a statement from @atiku and @ADCNig campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign.

“For the record: 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.

“I am NOT, in fact a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity,” Moghalu said.

Moghalu, who was a presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party in the 2019 election, said he had quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022.

“I have quit partisan politics in Nigeria since 2022. I have maintained, and continue to maintain, my non-partisan posture in our country’s national affairs.

“I am not a member or sympathiser of any political party in Nigeria,” he said.

He said his current engagements included 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, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.

Moghalu said his decision to remain outside partisan politics did not mean he was disengaged from national affairs.

“I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not have to entail ANY partisan alignment.

“I have adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship,” he said.

The clarification follows the unveiling of Atiku’s campaign structure on Thursday, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam named chairman, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.

The campaign said its Policy Team would develop policy proposals addressing issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

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