Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and renowned economist, Mohammed Hayatudeen, on Wednesday, appeared before the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential screening committee in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
First to appear before the committee was Hayatudeen and was immediately followed by Atiku. Rotimi Amaechi was the last to appear and he spent over two hours with the committee.
Atiku was accompanied by some of his associates, including former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Bello Tambuwal, former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha and former minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Waziri.
The presidential screening committee is chaired by former Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke.
Other members of the committee were Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum as Secretary, Alhaji Lawal Batagarawa, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, Hon. Nnena Elendu-Ukeje, Prof. David Salifu, and Col. Abubakar Ali Ciroma.
The screening exercise was part of the party’s preparations for its presidential primary.
Hayatu-Deen, who spoke to reporters after his screening reaffirmed his commitment to tackling insecurity, cost of living and unemployment
He expressed confidence in the ADC as the most credible political platform capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and offering Nigerians a serious alternative built on competence, credibility, and solutions-driven leadership.
The economist and former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group said Nigeria could no longer afford politics without direction, especially at a time when millions of citizens were struggling under worsening economic hardship, rising insecurity, and unemployment.
According to him, his campaign remained firmly focused on the issues that mattered most to ordinary Nigerians, namely the rising cost of living, insecurity across several parts of the country, and the urgent need to create jobs and restore economic confidence.
Hayatu-Deen stated that while political conversations often revolved around personalities and power blocs, Nigerians themselves were increasingly concerned about practical solutions that could improve their daily lives and restore hope in the future.
“We cannot continue to normalise poverty, fear, and hopelessness as the national condition. This election must be about the future of Nigerian families, about whether people can afford food, whether young people can find jobs, whether farmers can safely return to their farms, and whether businesses can survive and grow again.”
He further noted that the ADC presented a unique opportunity to build a broad national coalition around competence, unity, and economic renewal, adding that the country required leadership with both the capacity and urgency to confront its current challenges.
On whether, he would step down at the party’s presidential primary election, he said he would do the wish of the party.
Atiku’s Media aide, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement, said, “Atiku Abubakar, today appeared before the Presidential Screening Panel of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he not only presented his credentials for verification as part of the party’s presidential nomination process, but also laid before the panel his bold economic rescue blueprint and comprehensive security action plan for a nation bleeding from economic distress and escalating insecurity.”
Atiku described the engagement as far more than a routine party process, saying it was an opportunity to present a practical and urgent pathway for rescuing Nigeria from the grip of economic stagnation, mass unemployment, institutional drift, and the horrifying insecurity that has left innocent citizens vulnerable to massacres, kidnappings, and terror attacks.
He stated that Nigeria could not continue on the current trajectory, where families struggled daily under crushing hardship, businesses collapsed under policy uncertainty, and investor confidence continued to erode in the absence of coherent economic leadership.
He stressed that his economic blueprint was anchored on job creation, private sector expansion, fiscal discipline, stable macroeconomic management, and a renewed commitment to restoring Nigeria as a destination for serious investment and sustainable growth.
On security, Atiku expressed grave concern over the relentless bloodshed across the country, noting that no responsible government could stand by while citizens were slaughtered in their communities and others abducted on highways, farms, and even in their homes.
He said his security plan would prioritise intelligence-led operations, stronger inter-agency coordination, decentralised security architecture, and the political will to confront criminality without hesitation.
“At this defining moment in our national life, Nigeria does not need experiments. It needs tested leadership, clarity of vision, and the courage to make difficult but necessary decisions in the national interest,” he said.
He reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to building a secure, united, and prosperous Nigeria where every citizen could live in peace and pursue opportunity with dignity.
Chuks Okocha
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