Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reiterated his dedication to the principles of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), asserting that at this pivotal juncture in Nigeria's history, the party must select not merely a candidate but a proven leader endowed with competence, courage, experience, and national appeal to tackle the nation's escalating problems. In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku emphasized that the ADC was established on the foundations of transparency, accountability, inclusion, and democratic rejuvenation, underscoring that the choice confronting delegates transcends politics and constitutes a historic obligation.
Atiku's Call for Experienced Leadership
“At a time when Nigeria is bleeding from every pore—crippled by economic hardship, insecurity, rising debt, institutional failure, and growing despair—the question before the ADC is simple: who has the capacity not merely to campaign, but to govern effectively from day one? This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency,” the statement read. Atiku argued that leading a complex and struggling federation requires tested judgment, executive discipline, economic literacy, and the ability to build bridges across regions, religions, and political divides.
Governance Experience Matters
He said Nigeria needs a president who understands governance as practical responsibility, not abstract theory—someone capable of managing crises, building coalitions, and driving a clear path to economic recovery and national renewal. He maintained that elections are not won on social media enthusiasm alone, adding that governance is not performance or improvisation. Atiku pointed to his tenure as Vice President during what he described as one of Nigeria’s most reform-driven economic periods, saying it reflects the kind of experience needed to steer the country forward.
Key Policies and Electability
He referenced key policies from that era, including economic reforms, privatisation initiatives, fiscal discipline, and debt relief efforts, describing them as outcomes of deliberate leadership and governance capacity. Atiku urged ADC delegates to look beyond sentiment and focus on electability and readiness to govern. “The ADC must present its strongest, most credible, most prepared candidate—not merely its loudest,” he said. Atiku further warned that defeating an incumbent government requires strategy, national acceptability, and the ability to unify diverse political interests into a winning coalition.
He concluded by urging delegates to make a choice anchored on competence and readiness to lead, insisting that Nigeria deserves “rescue, not rhetoric.”
