Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) must field a competent and experienced candidate capable of tackling Nigeria’s economic crisis and institutional challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the decision before ADC delegates goes beyond ordinary politics, describing it as a critical moment in the country’s history.
According to him, the ADC was established on the ideals of transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and democratic renewal, stressing that Nigeria needs a leader who is fully prepared to govern from the first day in office.
“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 said.
“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency.”
Atiku maintained that the country’s present challenges demand tested leadership with executive experience, economic knowledge and national appeal.
According to him, Nigeria needs a leader who understands governance through practical experience rather than theory.
“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 place competence above emotions and sentiment as the party prepares for the 2027 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?” 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.”
Atiku argued that leadership of the country requires more than slogans and social media popularity, insisting that effective governance demands experience, structure and capacity.
“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.
He further pointed to his tenure as vice president between 1999 and 2007 as evidence of his readiness for national leadership.
According to him, the economic reforms, privatisation policies, fiscal discipline and governance reforms implemented during that period were products of deliberate leadership and competence.
Atiku also stressed that defeating an incumbent government would require strategic planning, political resilience and broad national support.
“The ADC must think beyond sentiment. It must think about victory. It must think about governance. It must think about Nigeria,” he said.
“This is a defining election. The party needs a candidate with national acceptability, political resilience, tested structures, and the capacity to unify disparate interests into one winning coalition.”
He concluded by urging delegates to choose leadership capable of rescuing the country from its current challenges.
“History will remember this moment. The choice before ADC delegates is not merely about ambition. It is about destiny. Nigeria deserves rescue, not rhetoric,” he said.
The ADC presidential primary is scheduled for May 25, 2026, with Atiku expected to contest alongside former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Northern Nigeria Development Company boss, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.