BY JULIET EKWENUGO, Kaduna
The presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Amb. Aliyu Bin Abbas, has approved the establishment of a professional Office of the Presidential Candidate (OPC) to coordinate his preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The development was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media & Publicity, OPC, ADP Presidential Candidate, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday.
According to the statement, the office, announced in Abuja on Saturday, is designed as an executive-style support structure to coordinate strategy, policy, legal, security, media and diplomatic functions for the candidate.
It said the OPC would be headed by a Chief of Staff to the Presidential Candidate, supported by a Deputy Chief of Staff, Principal Private Secretary and Director-General/Head of Executive Operations.
The office will comprise professionals responsible for political affairs, strategy and research, policy and manifesto development, legal and constitutional affairs, digital technology, security and risk management, protocol and international affairs, stakeholder relations, youth and women affairs, regional affairs, finance, logistics and medical support.
The statement also announced the establishment of a Presidential Situation Room, which will bring together senior advisers to assess developments and prepare a Presidential Daily Brief covering politics, security, public sentiment, policy, legal and electoral issues, media narratives and emerging national risks.
It added that the OPC would also deepen work on the Aliyu–Ike 2027 Presidential Manifesto, with focus on national unity, security, education, economic transformation, energy and power, infrastructure, industrialisation, youth development, women empowerment, regional development, innovation and welfare.
Abbas said the move was aimed at ensuring that his campaign was backed by the institutional and policy preparations required to govern effectively.
“We are not approaching 2027 merely as an election to be won. We are approaching it as a national responsibility for which we must be intellectually, institutionally and operationally prepared,” he said.
“Nigeria needs leadership that is organised, competent, youthful, visionary and ready from Day One.”
The campaign also clarified that the OPC would operate separately from the broader ADP Presidential Campaign Council.
While the campaign council will be responsible for mobilisation and political operations, the statement said the OPC would focus on executive coordination, strategic advice, policy preparation and direct support to the presidential candidate.
It said the office would operate on the principles of professionalism, discipline, confidentiality, accountability and respect for the rule of law.
The statement said the OPC would engage youths, women, traditional and religious institutions, professionals, entrepreneurs, civil society organisations and Nigerians in the diaspora.
On the 2027 election, Abbas pledged to support a peaceful, credible and issue-based contest.
“We shall compete vigorously, but responsibly. We shall challenge ideas with ideas, policies with policies and records with records. Nigeria is bigger than any candidate, political party or election,” he said.
The statement said implementation of the new structure had commenced, with further appointments to be announced.
