Atiku Abubakar has warned that the ADC must present a competent and experienced candidate capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges and institutional decline ahead of the 2027 election.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the choice before delegates of the ADC went beyond politics, describing it as a historic responsibility.
According to him, the ADC was founded on the principles of transparency, accountability, inclusion and democratic renewal, stressing that Nigeria needed a leader prepared to govern from day one.
“At a time when Nigeria is bleeding from every pore—crippled by economic hardship, insecurity, rising debt, institutional failure, and deepening hopelessness—the question before the ADC is simple: who has the capacity not merely to campaign, but to govern effectively from day one?
“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency.”
Atiku argued that Nigeria’s current challenges required tested leadership with executive experience, economic understanding and national appeal.
“Nigeria today needs a president, who understands governance not as theory, but as lived responsibility.
“It needs someone, who has negotiated globally, created jobs through enterprise, managed national crises, built coalitions, and consistently articulated a practical roadmap for economic recovery and national renewal,” he stated.
The former vice-president also urged ADC delegates to prioritise competence over sentiment ahead the 2027 general elections.
“At this defining moment, ADC delegates must ask themselves a simple but profound question: do we want to make a statement, or do we want to make a president?
“Nigeria is not merely facing economic hardship; it is grappling with the devastating consequences of catastrophic economic choices, deepening insecurity, and institutional decay. This is not the season for sentiment or political experimentation,” Atiku said.
He added that while others might rely on rhetoric and slogans, he possessed the institutional memory and experience needed to lead effectively.
Chuks Okocha and Charles Ajunwa
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