By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has been left out of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council unveiled by its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Aregbesola’s absence was notable because he remains one of the party’s national officers and has continued to participate in ADC activities. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently lists him as the party’s National Secretary.
The campaign council announced on Thursday is headed by Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman. Senator Austin Akobundu was named Director-General and Campaign Manager, while Atiku’s running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, and ADC National Chairman David Mark are listed among the campaign principals.
Other prominent figures appointed include former Edo State Governor John Oyegun, former presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Central Bank of Nigeria deputy governor Kingsley Moghalu, former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye and veteran journalist Dele Momodu.
Why Aregbesola was excluded
The campaign has now explained that Aregbesola’s absence should not be interpreted as his removal from the party’s leadership or a suspension from campaign activities.
Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the Atiku campaign and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to the ADC presidential candidate, said Aregbesola and National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi were not appointed to the campaign council because they are members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
According to Shaibu, the NWC members were responsible for constituting the campaign structure, rather than serving as appointees within it.
“These are National Working Committee (NWC) members who constituted the campaign council. Every directorate has a duty. Every director has an assignment. Every appointee must account for results,” Shaibu was quoted as saying.
The explanation is significant because Aregbesola was not absent from ADC activities when the campaign council was unveiled.
On Thursday, the same day the campaign structure was announced, Aregbesola joined Atiku and other ADC leaders in Akure for the reception of former Ondo State PDP governorship candidate Eyitayo Jegede into the opposition party.
At the event, Aregbesola represented David Mark and urged ADC supporters in the state to mobilise voters for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Aregbesola’s position within ADC
Aregbesola’s exclusion also comes against the backdrop of earlier internal disagreements within the ADC over his role as National Secretary.
In August, the South-West leadership of the party rejected a petition seeking his removal, saying the allegations against him were unsubstantiated.
The zonal leadership maintained that major decisions concerning congresses, primaries and candidate nominations were taken by the party’s appropriate organs rather than by Aregbesola acting alone.
There is also an ongoing court case challenging the emergence of David Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim National Working Committee. The Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the matter to September 28, 2026.
For now, the explanation from the Atiku campaign is that Aregbesola’s absence from the published campaign council is a consequence of his NWC role, rather than an indication that he has been sidelined from ADC activities.
The development has nevertheless drawn attention because the campaign council includes several other senior ADC figures and political heavyweights, including Mark, while Aregbesola’s name does not appear among its principals, advisers or directorate heads.
