Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on delegates of the African Democratic Congress to choose a competent and experienced presidential candidate capable of confronting Nigeria’s worsening economic and governance problems ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 24, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the decision before party delegates carries national significance and should go beyond ordinary political calculations.
He said the ADC was founded on values of accountability, transparency, inclusion and democratic renewal, arguing that Nigeria requires a leader ready to govern immediately rather than learn on the job.
“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?” Atiku said.
“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency.”
The former vice president maintained that the country’s challenges demand tested leadership with executive experience, economic understanding and broad national appeal.
“Nigeria today needs a president who understands governance not as theory, but as lived responsibility,” he stated.
READ ALSO: ADC Clears Atiku, Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen For Presidential Ticket Battle
“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.”
Atiku also urged delegates to place competence above emotion when deciding the party’s presidential ticket.
“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?” he said.
“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.”
He added that strong institutions, national appeal and political resilience would be essential to defeat an incumbent administration.
“The ADC must think beyond sentiment. It must think about victory. It must think about governance. It must think about Nigeria,” Atiku said.
The ADC presidential primary, scheduled for May 25, will feature Atiku, former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.