Atiku Picks Amaechi As Campaign DG, VP Candidate

Former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, is expected to head the presidential campaign organisation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor and prospective vice-presidential nominee of the ADC, is being considered as Director-General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

The move, according to party sources, is part of Atiku’s plan to run what insiders described as a reformed and partnership-driven presidency if elected.

A reliable source told The Guardian Amaechi was chosen because of his experience in leading a successful presidential campaign.

The former governor served as Director-General of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organisation in 2015, when the then opposition All Progressives Congress defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

The source said Amaechi’s political network and experience in national mobilisation were key factors in the decision.

According to the source, the offer was also part of efforts to convince Amaechi to accept the vice-presidential slot in a possible Atiku presidency.

The source, described as a former ranking senator and ambassador, said Atiku was proposing a different model of presidency in which the vice president would be given clear and meaningful responsibilities.

He said Atiku had studied the tense relationships that often developed between Nigerian presidents and their deputies after leaving office in 2007 and believed the presidency required urgent reform.

“From President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua through Jonathan and Buhari, the last three years under Bola Tinubu have exposed the imperfections of the Nigerian Presidency,” the source said.

“Atiku believes that while the United States Presidency assigns clear constitutional roles to the VP, its Nigerian counterpart is made to serve according to the whims of the President. So, in absence of such constitutional stipulations that assign direct responsibilities to the VP, Atiku wants to forge a partnership presidency, with Amaechi taking charge of key functions.”

The source added that Atiku’s thinking was influenced by his own experience as vice president during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, especially in the second term when their relationship became strained.

“Atiku wants to turn that sad and sour experience into the benefit of his running mate, to ensure that fears and suspicions that give rise to an adversarial relationship between the President and the vice do not arise,” the source stated.

“He wants to be the president who acknowledges that the office is one big room with two big doors. This is why he said he wants to show by example how the VP should not be either a spare tyre or a tea-server.”

Tambuwal May Become Deputy DG

The source also disclosed that former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, who had earlier been considered for the vice-presidential slot, may serve as Deputy Director-General of the Atiku/Amaechi Presidential Campaign Organisation.

“When the VP is officially named this coming week and by the time the campaign organisation is constituted, Nigerians will see how prepared the former Vice President is to rescue the country and strengthen the foundation for a true presidential system,” the source added.

A member of the ADC Policy Committee, Dr Salihu Lukman, had earlier disclosed that the party was considering a collegiate system of administration to avoid the winner-takes-all tendency that has affected successive governments.

Lukman said some of the policy reviews being considered by the ADC would ensure that party leadership remained strong enough to guide both the executive and legislative arms of government.