By Dada AYOKHAI
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has approved the composition of a structured National Campaign Council with four prominent Edo indigenes drawn from Edo South and Edo North Senatorial Districts appointed into strategic positions.
The list was made available by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the campaign council,
The Campaign Council has Senator Austin Akobundu as Director General and Campaign Manager, while former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, will serve as Chairman of the Campaign Advisory Council.
Others appointed include Senator Ehigie Uzamere as Senior Campaign Advisor, Dr. Pedro Obaseki as Director of Entertainment and Creative industry and publisher Chief Dele Momodu as Deputy Director General in charge of Media and Communication.
The inclusion of four Edos in the national campaign structure is seen as a deliberate move to consolidate support in Edo State, a state that has remained politically competitive and influential in the South-South region.
For former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Edo State is familiar terrain. He is not new to Edo politics, where he has consistently secured significant votes across election cycles, even when the state was governed by an opposition party.
In the 2023 presidential election, Atiku finished second in Edo State behind Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who won the state following the massive youth-driven Obidient movement. Prior to that, in both 2019 and earlier contests, Atiku and the PDP had dominated Edo with comfortable margins, a testament to his enduring political structure in the state.
Going into 2027, Atiku’s chances in Edo will largely depend on how well the ADC can transplant the old PDP structure into its new platform.
With Oyegun, a former APC National Chairman, and Uzamere, a PDP veteran, on board, the coalition is banking on bipartisan appeal to win over both PDP loyalists and disaffected APC members in the state,
However, his major hurdle in Edo remains the Peter Obi factor. The Labour Party’s dominance among youths and urban voters in Benin City in 2023 has not completely waned, and unless the ADC successfully negotiates with Obi’s camp or wins over that demographic through figures like Dele Momodu and Pedro Obaseki, Edo may again be a three-way contest.
Ultimately, the appointment of four Edo sons into key campaign positions is a signal that Edo is a must-win for the ADC.
But winning Edo alone will not win the presidency; Atiku’s path to victory will depend on replicating this inclusive, cross-party strategy across the South-South, South-East, and the crucial swing states of the North-Central.
Atiku”s strength remains his extensive network, his experience in six presidential contests, and his support base in the North-East and North-West.
Nevertheless, the 2027 election will test whether Nigerians want a veteran politician or a new face. Issues of age, the demand for power rotation, and the youth vote that powered Obi in 2023 will shape his national chances more than campaign appointments.
