African Democratic Congress chieftain, Dele Momodu, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar appointed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman of his 2027 Presidential Campaign Council partly in recognition of what he described as the former governor’s sacrifices.
Momodu, who serves as Deputy Director-General of the campaign’s Media and Communications Directorate, disclosed this on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Atiku unveiled the campaign council on Thursday, appointing Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman and El-Rufai as his deputy.
Speaking on the former Kaduna governor’s inclusion, Momodu said, “It is a way of honouring his sacrifice because his travails, I can say, are quite political in nature.”
He said El-Rufai’s return to Nigeria, despite allegedly knowing that he could be arrested, further demonstrated his commitment to the country.
“He’s being held down not because he has committed any crime. He could have stayed away from the country. He chose to come back to the country. He knew he was going to be arrested, and he was arrested,” Momodu said.
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El-Rufai is currently facing legal proceedings and has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
Momodu also questioned the bail conditions imposed on the former governor, describing them as excessive.
“The bail conditions given to him are so horrendous that even his enemies would wonder why he has to go through such a painful experience in the hands of a government that he helped to midwife,” he said.
The ADC chieftain further pointed to El-Rufai’s political influence, particularly his role in the events surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergence as president in the 2023 election.
“If not for him, I’m sure President Bola Tinubu would not be in office today,” Momodu said.
According to Momodu, El-Rufai’s appointment reflects his continued political relevance and the potential role he could play as the opposition party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Other members of the campaign council include former APC National Chairman John Oyegun, Momodu, Dino Melaye and other political figures and party stakeholders.