2027 Kaduna: Ashiru Unveils Campaign Team, Picks Ayuba as Director-General

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, has appointed former state commissioner and university lecturer John Ayuba as Director-General of his campaign council ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Ashiru also named Bashir Ibrahim Sakadadi as Deputy Director-General (Operations) and Mukhtar Baloni as Secretary of the Campaign Council.

The appointments bring together individuals with backgrounds in academia, banking, public administration and grassroots politics as Ashiru begins preparations for the 2027 contest.

Ayuba to Lead Campaign Strategy

Ayuba, an academic, banker and former public servant, is expected to provide strategic direction for the campaign while drawing on his experience in government, finance and politics.

He holds a PhD in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he was reportedly the best-performing candidate in the PhD qualifying examination.

He taught at the university between 1981 and 1988 before moving into the banking sector, where he eventually became Divisional Head of Corporate, Commercial and Retail Banking (North) at Diamond Bank.

Ayuba later served as Kaduna State Commissioner for Finance under the late Governor Patrick Yakowa and subsequently as Commissioner for Water Resources under former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

He also served as the PDP deputy governorship candidate in Kaduna State in the 2023 election, giving him political networks across Southern Kaduna and other parts of the state.

Ashiru said Ayuba was selected because of his combination of academic knowledge, financial experience, political exposure and leadership ability.

Sakadadi to Drive Grassroots Mobilisation

Bashir Ibrahim Sakadadi, appointed Deputy Director-General (Operations), is expected to coordinate grassroots mobilisation, constituency engagement and the day-to-day operations of the campaign.

He is associated with the Sakadadi community in Sabon Gari and has experience in grassroots politics across Kaduna State.

Baloni Brings Local Government Experience

Mukhtar Baloni, the newly appointed Campaign Council Secretary, is a former vice chairman and chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Area, where he spent about six years in local government administration.

During his tenure, he focused on areas including internally generated revenue, education, healthcare, social programmes and infrastructure development.

Ashiru Sets Out 2027 Campaign Structure

According to Ashiru, the appointments are designed to combine administrative experience, professional expertise and grassroots political mobilisation as his campaign prepares for the 2027 election.

He expressed confidence that the team would deliver a focused and organised campaign capable of engaging communities across Kaduna State and presenting what he described as a people-oriented political programme.

With the 2027 governorship contest already taking shape, the appointments mark an early move by the ADC candidate to build a campaign structure ahead of what is expected to be a closely watched election in Kaduna.