2027: APC's empty promises of revival, ADC will bring tangible results, says Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 election, pledging to spearhead a national recovery mission. He launched a scathing critique of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during his victory speech at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja on Wednesday night.

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Atiku accused the APC-led Federal Government of exacerbating hardship, insecurity, and political repression across the country, and alleged that the ruling party was pushing Nigeria towards a one-party state through interference in opposition parties and democratic institutions.

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The former Vice President secured 1,846,370 votes out of the 2,527,977 votes cast in the party's primary, which was conducted among the party's 3,113,599 registered members nationwide.

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Former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, polled 504,117 votes, while businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen scored 177,120 votes in the exercise.

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Atiku described the ADC primary as evidence that democracy remained alive within the opposition, despite what he called attempts by the APC government to suppress dissent, and claimed that the ruling party was behind the leadership crises rocking several opposition parties.

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He alleged that the APC government was using security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and elements within the judiciary to engineer the leadership crises in opposition parties, saying "As I speak, virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crises engineered by the APC government, the INEC and elements in the judiciary."

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The ADC flagbearer also criticised the continued detention of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as part of a wider clampdown on opposition figures, and said "All because he is a leading opposition figure, this kind of cruelty must stop."

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Atiku further alleged that anti-corruption agencies were being used to pressure opposition politicians into defecting to the APC, claiming "Under this government, once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear."

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He warned against what he described as continued interference in the affairs of the ADC by the Presidency, INEC, and the judiciary, saying "Enough is enough," and adding that any attempt to undermine the opposition coalition would be resisted.

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Despite the fierce contest, Atiku appealed for unity within the party, insisting that there was no room for division ahead of the 2027 elections, and said "This is not the time to celebrate, no one was defeated because we are one party and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment."

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He specifically called on Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to join hands with him in what he termed a struggle to rescue Nigeria's democracy, saying "In particular, I invite Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country."

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Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of failing to tackle the worsening security situation across the country, saying "Every region of this country is gripped by insecurity, the worst kind in our history."

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He promised that an ADC government would strengthen the military, police, and intelligence agencies through recruitment, improved welfare, training, and provision of modern equipment.

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The former Vice President also criticised the state of the economy, saying official claims of economic growth did not reflect the hardship being experienced by Nigerians, and stated "The poverty gripping our people is at a level that we have never seen in our history."

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Atiku faulted the government's handling of fuel subsidy removal and rising public debt, alleging that borrowed funds were being mismanaged through contracts awarded without due process, and said "The future of our younger generation is being mortgaged with no accountability."

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On education, he said more than 20 million Nigerian children were currently out of school and pledged to introduce free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels if elected.

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Atiku said "This cannot be tolerated in the modern world where education is the surest path to decent employment, wealth creation, national development and enlightened citizenry."

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He also accused the Federal Government of neglecting the healthcare sector, claiming that the Ministry of Health received only N30 million for capital expenditure in the previous fiscal year, and said "This is clearly a government that doesn’t care about the health of our people."

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Atiku promised increased investment in primary healthcare and specialist medical facilities, and drawing a contrast with the APC's "Renewed Hope" agenda, he declared "Where the APC government offers meaningless renewed hope, we will provide renewed action to repair the damage they have done to our economy and society in the last twelve years of misrule."