Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged delegates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to set aside sentiment and digital popularity in favour of competence and national reach as the party moves to select a presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
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Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku warned that with Nigeria grappling with economic hardship, rising debt, insecurity, and institutional decay, the ADC cannot afford to gamble on an untested candidate.
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“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency,” he said.
Without mentioning names, Atiku took a clear swipe at the growing buzz surrounding certain contenders, arguing that presidential elections are won through structures, strategy, and governance capacity — not online excitement.
“Elections are not won on social media enthusiasm alone. Governance is not performance art. The presidency is not a platform for improvisation. The ADC must present to Nigerians its strongest, most credible, most prepared candidate — not merely its loudest,” he stated.
Framing the decision before delegates as a historic one, Atiku painted a grim picture of the country’s current condition and questioned who among the contenders truly has what it takes 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?” he asked.
He argued that the moment demands a leader who has negotiated at the global level, created jobs, managed national crises, built broad coalitions, and presented a credible economic recovery plan.
Pointing to his own track record, Atiku referenced the economic reforms of the Obasanjo-Atiku administration — including a privatisation drive that opened key sectors, fiscal discipline that helped secure debt relief for Nigeria, and sweeping governance overhauls — as proof of his readiness for the job.
“The economic reforms that helped reposition Nigeria…were not accidents. They were products of leadership, competence, and courage,” he said.
Posing what he called a “simple but profound question” to delegates, Atiku drew a sharp line between symbolism and real electoral viability.
“ADC delegates must ask themselves: do we want to make a statement, or do we want to make a president?”
He stressed that unseating an incumbent in 2027 would require far more than emotional momentum, urging the party to think carefully about which candidate can stitch together a winning coalition across Nigeria’s regions, faiths, and demographics.
“The ADC must think beyond sentiment. It must think about victory. It must think about governance. It must think about Nigeria…Nigeria deserves rescue, not rhetoric,” he declared.
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