Moghalu Rejects Atiku’s Campaign Team Inclusion, Says ‘I Wasn’t Consulted’

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has rejected his inclusion in the policy team of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential campaign, saying he was neither consulted nor gave his consent to be listed.

Moghalu’s reaction followed the unveiling of Atiku’s campaign structure for the 2027 presidential election, in which his name was listed among members of the campaign’s Policy Team. The team is headed by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, with Professor Mohammed Sagagi serving as deputy chairman.

In a statement, Moghalu said he was surprised to see his name included in the campaign structure and stressed that he had no association with Atiku’s policy team.

He said he had left partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022 and maintained that he was not a member or sympathiser of any political party in the country.

Moghalu also said his current engagements are focused on public policy and geopolitical risk advisory through the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET Africa), where he serves as president, and Sogato Strategies, where he is chief executive officer.

He said his commitment to Nigeria should not be interpreted as partisan political alignment.

Moghalu stated:

“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.

For the record:

1. 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.
2. I am NOT, in fact, a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity.
3. 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.
4. 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 LLC, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.
5. 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.

Moghalu’s statement came shortly after Atiku’s campaign unveiled its campaign council and management structure for the 2027 election. The structure includes 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 has said its Policy Team would work on proposals addressing issues including the cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

Moghalu, who was a presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party in the 2019 election, has reiterated that he intends to remain outside partisan politics while continuing his engagement in public policy and national affairs.