On Wednesday night, former vice president Atiku Abubakar emerged as the African Democratic Congress’s (ADC) presidential candidate. He immediately launched a fierce attack on the ruling All Progressives Congress (AOC), accusing the government of pushing Nigeria toward a one-party state and further plunging the country into hardship, insecurity, and political repression.
In addition to producing a presidential candidate, the primary served as a crucial focal point for some opposition groups hoping to take on the APC in the 2027 presidential contest. Atiku portrayed the ADC as the means of “rescuing” Nigeria’s democracy and reversing the nation’s deteriorating circumstances.
Speaking at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja late on Wednesday night following his victory, Atiku promised to spearhead what he called a national recovery effort and urged disgruntled coalition members and defeated candidates to unite behind the party in advance of the general election next year.
“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,” Atiku said. The former vice president received 1,846,370 of the 2,527,977 votes cast in the primary election, defeating former governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi with 504,117 votes and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen with 177,120 votes.
As I speak, the APC government, the INEC, and certain members of the judiciary have created a leadership crisis in almost every opposition political party in the nation,” he stated. The ADC flagbearer also denounced the ongoing detention of Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, calling it a component of a larger campaign against opposition leaders. “Because he is a prominent member of the opposition. “This kind of cruelty needs to end,” he said. He also claimed that opposition parties were being pressured by anti-corruption organizations.
“Under this government, once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear,” he said.
Additionally, Atiku cautioned against what he called the Presidency, INEC, and judiciary’s ongoing meddling in ADC matters.
“Enough is enough,” Atiku declared, threatening to “fiercely” oppose any more attempts to weaken the coalition.
He took steps to ease tensions inside the alliance despite the stress surrounding the primary fight, arguing that the party could not afford internal fractures prior to the election.
“Now is not the moment to rejoice. We are a single party, and we all need to acknowledge the extreme urgency of the situation, so nobody was vanquished,” he declared.
He especially asked Hayatu-Deen and Amaechi to join him in what he called a fight to save Nigeria’s democracy.
“I specifically invite Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to join me in this fight to save our country and our democracy,” he continued.
Regarding insecurity, Atiku charged that the Tinubu administration had failed to take significant action in response to the surge in attacks and killings that occurred throughout the nation, including the deaths of military personnel.
The worst form of insecurity in our history is plaguing every part of this nation,” he declared.
He pledged that through widespread recruitment, greater welfare, enhanced training, and new equipment, an ADC administration will bolster the military forces, police, and intelligence organizations.
Regarding the economy, the former vice president claimed that official reports of economic expansion did not accurately depict the situation that millions of Nigerians face, as skyrocketing costs continue to put pressure on households all over the nation.
“Our people are living in poverty at a level never seen in our history,” he declared.
He accused the government of misusing borrowed money by awarding contracts without following the proper procedures, and he criticized the administration’s handling of the elimination of gasoline subsidies and growing debt.
Atiku said, “Our younger generation’s future is being mortgaged with no accountability.”
Regarding education, the ADC candidate promised free and compulsory primary and secondary education if elected, claiming that over 20 million school-age children were currently not attending school under the APC regime.
In the current world, where education is the most reliable route to respectable work, wealth creation, national growth, and intelligent citizens, this cannot be permitted,” he stated.
Additionally, he claimed that the Ministry of Health only received N30 million for capital expenditures in the previous fiscal year, accusing the Federal Government of ignoring the healthcare industry.
Atiku declared, “This is clearly a government that doesn’t care about the health of our people,” pledging significant funding for both primary and specialized healthcare institutions.
In stark contrast to the APC’s “Renewed Hope”We will take further action to undo the harm they have caused to our economy and society over the past twelve years of mismanagement.
