By Oscar Okhifo
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has distanced himself from the 2027 presidential campaign of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, saying he was neither consulted nor gave consent for his name to be included in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate’s policy team.
Moghalu made the clarification in a statement issued on Thursday, shortly after Atiku’s campaign council unveiled its structure for the 2027 presidential election.
The campaign structure, announced by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council and Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, named economist and banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen as chairman of the policy team, Professor Mohammed Sagagi as deputy chairman and Moghalu as one of its members.
Reacting to the announcement, however, Moghalu said he was surprised to see his name listed on the 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 said.
He categorically denied being associated with the policy team in any capacity, whether formally or informally.
“I am NOT, in fact, a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity,” Moghalu said.
The former CBN deputy governor also reaffirmed his decision to stay out of partisan politics, saying he quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022 and had maintained his non-partisan position on 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,” he said.
Moghalu explained that his current engagements focus on public policy and geopolitical strategy.
He said he serves as President of IGET Africa, a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, and as Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.
Moghalu said his commitment to Nigeria remained undiminished but stressed that it should not be interpreted as partisan alignment.
“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 said.
The controversy followed the unveiling of Atiku’s campaign structure, which will be chaired by Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.
According to the campaign, the policy team will be responsible for developing practical responses to issues confronting Nigerians, including the rising cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.
Moghalu’s denial has, however, raised questions over how his name came to be included in the published structure without, according to him, his knowledge or consent.
As of Thursday evening, neither Atiku nor the ADC campaign team had publicly responded to Moghalu’s statement.
It remains unclear whether Moghalu was inadvertently included in the list or whether there was a misunderstanding over his involvement in the campaign’s policy team.