2027 Kaduna Governorship: Ashiru Names Ayuba Campaign DG, Unveils Key Team Members

Ahead of the 2027 Kaduna State governorship election, the governorship candidate, Uba Sani? Wait—based on the supplied text, the candidate is Sani Bello Ashiru—has appointed Professor Ayuba as Director-General of his campaign council.

Ashiru also appointed Bashir Ibrahim Sakadadi as Deputy Director-General (Operations) and Mukhtar Baloni as Secretary of the Campaign Council as part of efforts to strengthen his campaign structure ahead of the election.

Ayuba, an academic, banker and former public servant, is expected to provide strategic leadership for the campaign, drawing on his extensive experience in academia, financial services, public administration and politics.

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

Ayuba lectured at the university for seven years, from 1981 to 1988, before moving into the banking sector. He later rose to become Divisional Head of Corporate, Commercial and Retail Banking (North) at Diamond Bank.

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

Ayuba was also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate in Kaduna State during the 2023 election. He is said to have extensive political and stakeholder networks in Zangon Kataf and other parts of Southern Kaduna.

Ashiru said Ayuba’s appointment was based on his combination of academic achievement, financial expertise, political experience and leadership capacity.

Sakadadi, Baloni Take Key Roles

Bashir Ibrahim Sakadadi, appointed Deputy Director-General (Operations), is a grassroots political leader associated with the Sakadadi community in Sabon Gari, Kaduna State.

He is expected to oversee grassroots mobilisation, constituency engagement and the day-to-day operational activities of the campaign.

Mukhtar Baloni, appointed Secretary of the Campaign Council, is a former Vice Chairman and Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Area, where he served for approximately six years.

During his tenure in the local government, Baloni focused on areas including internally generated revenue, education, healthcare, social intervention programmes and infrastructure development.

Ashiru said the appointments were designed to bring together administrative competence, academic and financial expertise, grassroots mobilisation and local government experience.

He expressed confidence that the newly constituted campaign team would run a focused, professional and people-oriented campaign across Kaduna State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.