Ahead of the African Democratic Congress presidential primaries for the 2027 general election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, were screened by the party on Wednesday as discussions over its presidential ticket continue to gather momentum.
The screening exercise took place behind closed doors at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja and was overseen by a panel headed by former Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke, with Cyril Maduabum acting as secretary.
Hayatu-Deen was the first to appear before the committee, arriving at about 10:50 a.m. and spending nearly an hour with the panel. Atiku later arrived at approximately 12:06 p.m. for his own screening.
Addressing journalists afterward, Hayatu-Deen described the exercise as successful and stated that he was fully prepared for whichever method the party adopts in selecting its candidate.
He said, “I spent approximately one hour in the room and it went very well. We are now at a very pivotal moment in the campaign process. At 11 o’clock this morning, I came and I was screened.
“We are now going to go through a major momentous event in the sense that we’ll either undergo a consensus exercise or go into direct primaries within the short period of time that is available. I stand ready, able, and willing to go through that process.”
The former banker also outlined what Nigerians should expect from his candidacy if he eventually secures the ADC ticket.
He said, “I will like to pledge to the Nigerian people that I will wage a campaign that is disciplined, focused, and geared towards meeting the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians at a very difficult moment in the nation’s history, given the problems that relate to insecurity, the high cost of living crisis, massive unemployment, the lack of jobs, lack of power, lack of infrastructure, and dilapidated educational and health institutions.”
Speaking further on the possibility of a direct primary, Hayatu-Deen insisted he was adequately prepared for the contest.
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“I’ve been prepared for this for quite some time, so I’m prepared for either eventuality. It is a process that I actually thought through very carefully and profoundly before I went into it.
“You don’t go into this kind of thing without preparation. You put your credibility and your name on the line. It’s very expensive,” he added.
Moments after Hayatu-Deen exited the venue, Atiku entered the screening hall to meet with members of the committee.
The former vice president, however, offered only a brief remark after the exercise, saying, “The screening went well.”
Atiku, who has made several presidential bids since 1993, remains one of the country’s leading opposition figures.
His move to contest for the ADC ticket comes amid ongoing coalition talks and political alignments among opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
Hayatu-Deen, who previously sought the presidency, is regarded within the party as one of its technocratic figures advocating economic reforms and stronger institutions, drawing from his background in banking and public policy.
Meanwhile, as of the time this report was filed, former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, had yet to arrive for his screening.
The ADC is expected to wrap up the screening exercise before deciding whether to adopt a consensus arrangement or conduct direct primaries to choose its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.