Former Super Eagles defenders Shehu Abdullahi and Kenneth Omeruo have been appointed to positions within the national leadership structure of the City Boy Movement, a political support group that has been active around the 2027 electoral cycle.

The appointments were announced on Thursday, October 1, by Bashir Ahmad, the movement’s National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response and a member of its National Working Committee. According to the announcement, Abdullahi will serve as National Deputy Director of Sports, while Omeruo has been appointed National Assistant Director of Sports.

Ahmad welcomed the two former internationals to the organisation in his announcement, formally confirming their entry into its national structure.

The development gives both footballers organisational roles outside their playing careers, although the movement has not publicly detailed the specific programmes or responsibilities they will handle beyond their positions in the sports directorate.

Abdullahi, 33, represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. He was part of the Super Eagles squad that finished third at the 2019 AFCON.

Omeruo, 32, has an even broader World Cup record with Nigeria. The central defender featured at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He was also part of Nigeria’s squad that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa and later featured in the 2019 AFCON squad that finished third.

Their appointments come as political organisations and support groups begin strengthening their structures ahead of the 2027 elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission’s current calendar lists January 16, 2027 as the date for the nationwide presidential and House of Assembly election, with governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The City Boy Movement has described itself as a political support organisation, and Ahmad holds a senior communications position within its structure. The addition of Abdullahi and Omeruo places two former national-team footballers in its sports directorate, although no electoral position or elected office has been attached to either appointment.

Both men have considerable experience representing Nigeria on the international football stage. Abdullahi's career included appearances at one World Cup and one AFCON tournament, while Omeruo represented the country at two World Cups and several Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

The latest appointments also illustrate how football personalities can take on public-facing organisational roles beyond the pitch. For Abdullahi and Omeruo, their immediate positions within the City Boy Movement are specifically connected to sports, with further details about their planned activities yet to be publicly announced.

As the 2027 electoral calendar draws closer, more political groups are expected to develop their organisational structures across different sectors and constituencies. For now, the confirmed development is that Abdullahi and Omeruo have been assigned national sports roles within the City Boy Movement.