“I am surprised to see a statement from the Atiku Abubakar and African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign”
By Ronke Akase
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and former presidential candidate, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has publicly distanced himself from the Presidential Campaign Council of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying he was never consulted and never gave consent to be included in Atiku’s policy team.
Moghalu made the clarification in a press statement personally signed by him and posted on his official X handle, following the release earlier of a list of appointees into the Atiku/ADC Presidential Campaign Council by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the Council.
In the Atiku/ADC campaign release, Mohammed Hayatudeen was named as chairman of the Policy Team, working with Professor Mohammed Sagagi and other members, including Professor Kingsley Moghalu, to develop practical answers to Nigeria’s problems.
But Moghalu, in a swift rebuttal, said the inclusion of his name came as a surprise to him and does not reflect reality.
“I am surprised to see a statement from the Atiku Abubakar and African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign,” Moghalu stated.
Setting the record straight, the economist and scholar listed five key points to clarify his position.
According to him, first, he was not consulted and did not give his consent to his name being published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team.
“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,” he stated.
Second, Moghalu said he is not, in fact, a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity.
“I am NOT, in fact a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity,” he stressed.
Third, he reiterated that he has quit partisan politics in Nigeria since 2022 and has maintained, and continues to maintain, his non-partisan posture in the country’s national affairs.
“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 sympathizer of any political party in Nigeria,” the statement added.
Moghalu, who contested the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and later resigned from the party, said his primary engagements are now strictly non-partisan and professional.
He disclosed that he is currently President of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET Africa), a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, and Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.
“My primary engagement is as President of @IGETAfrica, a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, and as CEO of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm,” he said.
While reaffirming his commitment to Nigeria and its progress, Moghalu insisted that such commitment does not have to entail any partisan alignment, noting that he has adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship.
“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 concluded.
The development has sparked reactions in political circles, coming barely hours after Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the ADC, approved a lean, people-driven Presidential Campaign Council.
In that earlier release, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam was named Chairman of the Council, with Nasir El-Rufai as Deputy Chairman, Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager, Dele Momodu as head of Media and Communications, Dino Melaye as head of Contact and Mobilisation, Mohammed Hayatudeen as Chairman of Policy Team and John Oyegun as Chairman of the Campaign Advisory Board.
Moghalu’s rejection is seen as a major setback for the Atiku/ADC campaign, which had paraded his name alongside other technocrats to boost the policy credibility of its campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
It also raises questions about the due diligence and consultation process adopted by the campaign council before releasing the list, with analysts warning that inclusion of high-profile names without consent could undermine public trust at a time when Atiku said his campaign structure was shaped by the need for discipline and accountability.
As of the time of filing this report, the Atiku/ADC Presidential Campaign Council has not issued an official response to Professor Moghalu’s disclaimer.
Moghalu, a respected economist, former UN official and author, has consistently advocated for a technocratic, non-partisan approach to nation-building since stepping away from partisan politics, focusing on governance reform, economic transformation and leadership development through IGET Africa.
