Moghalu Disowns Atiku Campaign Role, Says ‘I Was Not Consulted’

Former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,l (CBN), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, has disowned his inclusion in the African Democratic Congress presidential campaign’s policy team for the 2027 election.

Moghalu said he was neither consulted nor asked to consent to the use of his name in the campaign structure unveiled by the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday.

He made the clarification in a statement posted on his verified X handle, hours after Atiku’s campaign announced the composition of its Presidential Campaign Council.

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The campaign had named economist and banker, Mohammed Hayatudeen, as chairman of the Policy Team, with Prof. Mohammed Sagagi and Moghalu listed among its members.

Reacting to the announcement, Moghalu said, “I am surprised to see a statement from Atiku and ADC campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign.”

He added, “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 further stated that he was not a member of Atiku’s policy team “even unofficially or in any advisory capacity.”

According to him, he withdrew from partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022 and has since maintained a non-partisan position on national affairs.

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

The former CBN deputy governor said his current engagements include serving as President of 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 stressed that his commitment to Nigeria should not be interpreted as partisan political alignment.

“I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does have to entail any partisan alignment,” he said.

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

The clarification came after Atiku’s campaign unveiled its presidential campaign structure, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.

The campaign said the council would operate through six major directorates, with specific responsibilities assigned to its directors ahead of the 2027 presidential election.