Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 election, using the occasion to strongly criticise the ruling All Progressives Congress over worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and what he described as threats to democracy.
The primary election, held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, also served as a gathering point for opposition figures seeking to challenge the APC in the next general election. Atiku said the ADC was ready to restore democratic values and improve living conditions across the country.
According to the results, Atiku secured 1,846,370 votes out of more than 2.5 million votes cast, defeating former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
After the victory, Atiku called on party members and other opposition leaders to remain united ahead of the 2027 elections. He insisted that democracy was still active within the ADC despite what he claimed were efforts by the APC-led government to weaken opposition parties through state institutions, including INEC and the judiciary.
“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,” he said.
The former Vice President also condemned the continued detention of former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as politically motivated. He further alleged that anti-corruption agencies were being used to pressure opposition politicians into joining the APC.
Atiku urged his opponents in the primary, Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, to work with him in what he called a collective effort to protect Nigeria’s democracy and rebuild the nation.
On security, he accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of failing to effectively address rising violence and attacks across the country. He promised that an ADC government would improve the welfare, training, and equipment of security agencies.
Speaking on the economy, Atiku argued that many Nigerians were suffering despite government claims of economic progress. He criticised the handling of fuel subsidy removal and increasing national debt, saying younger generations were being burdened without accountability.
“The poverty gripping our people is at a level that we have never seen in our history,” he said.
The ADC candidate also promised free and compulsory education at primary and secondary levels, noting that millions of Nigerian children were currently out of school. In healthcare, he accused the government of neglecting the sector and pledged major investment in hospitals and primary healthcare services.
Comparing his vision with the APC’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, Atiku said his administration would focus on practical steps to rebuild the economy and address the challenges facing Nigerians.
