Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accepted his nomination as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, promising to lead a coalition to defeat the ruling APC and “rescue” Nigeria’s democracy and economy.
Speaking at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja after winning the party’s primary, Atiku said the ADC had proven that democracy was “alive and well” while accusing the APC government of strangling democratic space through intimidation, harassment, and manipulation of institutions.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” he said.
Atiku alleged that opposition parties were facing engineered leadership crises orchestrated by the APC, INEC, and elements in the judiciary. He cited the continued detention of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who he said had been held for three months despite court bail orders, and accused the government of using security and anti-corruption agencies to coerce opposition figures into joining the APC.
“Once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear. This abuse of power must stop,” he said.
The former vice president warned against further interference in ADC’s affairs, saying any attempt by the Presidency, INEC, or the judiciary to undermine the party would be “fiercely resisted.”
Outlining his priorities, Atiku said an ADC government under his leadership would focus on security, education, the economy, healthcare, and power-sharing among Nigeria’s constituent units. He pledged decisive action on insecurity through increased recruitment, better equipment, training, and improved welfare for security agencies.
On the economy, he accused the APC of presiding over unprecedented poverty while a few in power amassed wealth, and criticized the government’s borrowing and subsidy removal policies. He promised to address Nigeria’s energy crisis, remove investment bottlenecks, and provide incentives to create jobs.
Atiku also vowed to implement free and compulsory education at primary and secondary levels, invest in youth skills, and prioritize healthcare with a focus on primary care and medical centers of excellence.
He called on defeated aspirants, including Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, to close ranks and join the fight to “save our democracy and our country,” saying there were “no winners and no losers” in the primaries.
“The real hard work is about to begin,” Atiku said. “We have to prepare to campaign hard to win the next general elections in order to begin the difficult process of rescuing our country and its long-suffering people from this government.”
The ADC primary was held ahead of the general elections scheduled for early 2027.
