Professor Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has denied being a member of Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential election, saying he was not consulted and did not consent. He stressed that he remains committed to Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not require partisan alignment, as he has chosen the path of statesmanship, not partisanship.
Moghalu was reacting to a statement from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign that listed him as a member of Atiku Abubakar’s policy team. He said he was surprised to see his name in the announcement and insisted he never agreed to serve on the team.
The denial came hours after Atiku’s campaign, in a statement signed by Phrank Shaibu, unveiled what it described as a lean Presidential Campaign Council. The statement named Kashim Ibrahim-Imam as chairman, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman, and Senator Austin Akobundu as director-general. It also said Mohammed Hayatudeen would chair the policy team, working with Professor Mohammed Sagagi and others, including Moghalu.
In his response, Moghalu said he was not consulted and did not give consent for his name to be published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team. He stated that he is not a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity.
He explained that he quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022 and has maintained a non-partisan posture in national affairs. According to him, he is neither a member nor a sympathizer of any political party in Nigeria.
Moghalu said his primary engagements are as President of IGET Africa, a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, and as CEO of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm. He reiterated that while he remains devoted to Nigeria and its progress, that devotion does not require any partisan alignment, as he has adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship.