2027: Obi, Kwankwaso Movement unveils 59-member presidential campaign council - Punch Newspapers

Peter Obi and Rabu Kwankwaso. Credit: PeterObi/X

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement on Thursday unveiled a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council comprising zonal and state coordinators, as well as directors for mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other key areas ahead of the 2027 general elections. The council, announced in a statement on Thursday, has the Director-General of the movement, John Ughulu, as Director-General of the campaign, while the National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, is also listed among the campaign leadership. The structure has representatives from the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, with state coordinators appointed for the 36 states. The council also includes directors responsible for grassroots mobilisation, women affairs, contact and engagement, special duties, procurement, information technology, legal affairs, strategy and planning, security and intelligence, and administration. The development comes as the movement intensifies preparations to mobilise support for the joint presidential ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 election. In a congratulatory message to the newly appointed council members, Sani explained that their selection was a call to duty and tasked them with taking the message of its principals to communities across the country. She said, “Your selection is not merely an appointment; it is a call to duty, sacrifice, leadership and service to Nigeria. At this critical moment in our nation’s history, the responsibility before the Presidential Campaign Council is enormous. “You have been entrusted with the task of taking the vision, message and aspirations of our principals directly to the Nigerian people from the cities to the grassroots, from the states to the local governments, and from the wards to every community across the federation. “Your appointment is an honour, but more importantly, it is a responsibility. The journey has begun. The assignment is clear. The mission is Nigeria.” Continuing, she highlighted that the Obi and Kwankwaso campaign would not be built around individuals seeking personal recognition, but around what it described as a broader national vision. “The OK Movement is not built around individuals seeking personal recognition. It is a movement driven by a larger national vision: to mobilise Nigerians around the possibility of a better, more prosperous, united and functional Nigeria. Aiyedatiwa warns Ondo APC members against anti-party activities Minister warns envoys against unguarded comments ahead of 2027 elections Obi mourns Olu Jacobs, says actor represented Nigerian excellence “We therefore expect every member of the Presidential Campaign Council to approach this assignment with discipline, loyalty, humility, courage and an unwavering commitment to the collective vision of the movement. “The road ahead will require hard work. It will require strategic thinking, grassroots mobilisation, effective communication and, above all, the ability to work together as one formidable political family,” she stated. The national secretary added that their immediate responsibility was to ensure that the message of its principals reached voters nationwide. She said, “Our responsibility is to ensure that the message of our principals reaches every Nigerian and that the voice of the people is heard across the length and breadth of our nation.” Among those appointed are Suleiman Abubakar as North-Central coordinator; Hashimu Dungurawa (North-West); Amadu Gwambe (North-East); Dr Adebayo Adefolaseye (South-West); Christopher Ighodaro (South-South); and El-Shaddai Ikeh (South-East). The council also appointed state coordinators for each of the 36 states and the FCT. Others appointed include Rev. Mike Agbon as Director, Inter-Ethnic Group in Northern Nigeria; Sabo Gashua (Grassroots Mobilisation); Glory Adayi (Women Affairs); Kabir Yahaya (Contact and Engagement); Abdumumini Tijjani (Mobilisation); Yusuf Mani (Special Duties); Peace Daful (Procurement); Prof Charles Nwekeaku (South Eastern Town Hall); and Sunmisola Adebayo (Information Technology). Kingdom Okere was appointed Director of Legal Affairs; Abiodun Dabiri (Strategy and Planning); Richard Enemona, CSP (Rtd.), (Security and Intelligence); while Aisha Abdulrahaman was named Director of Administration. Last month, the group reaffirmed that it would retain its independent structure rather than merge with another political organisation ahead of the 2027 elections, while backing Ughulu as its founder and Director-General. The unveiling comes days after the movement condemned the reported disruption of Obi’s convoy during his visit to Benue State and called for an impartial investigation into the incident. The OK Movement said its security personnel deliberately exercised restraint to prevent the situation from escalating into violence. Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties

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