By Sandra Ugwu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general election after defeating former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in a fiercely contested primary election.

Results announced Wednesday night by the party showed Atiku polling 1,855,787 votes to secure a commanding victory over Amaechi, who garnered 509,397 votes, while Hayatu-Deen received 180,903 votes.

The outcome cements Atiku’s position as the standard-bearer of the ADC-led opposition coalition ahead of what is expected to be a high-stakes presidential contest against incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

In his acceptance speech at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Atiku described his emergence as a mandate to lead a national recovery movement, declaring that the opposition coalition was determined to challenge what he called the growing erosion of democratic institutions under the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled by the ruling party and its oppressive government, democracy is alive and well in the ADC,” he said.

The former vice president accused the APC administration of engineering crises within opposition parties through the alleged use of security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and elements within the judiciary.

“As I speak, virtually all opposition political parties in the country are facing leadership crises engineered by the APC government,” he alleged.

Atiku also condemned the continued detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as political persecution targeted at opposition voices.

“All because he is a leading opposition figure. This kind of cruelty must stop,” he declared.

Seeking to calm tensions within the coalition after the primary contest, Atiku extended an olive branch to his rivals, insisting that unity within the opposition remained critical ahead of the election.

“This is not the time to celebrate. No one was defeated because we are one party and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment,” he said.

He specifically appealed to Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to join what he described as a broader struggle to “save Nigeria’s democracy.”

Beyond party politics, Atiku used the occasion to launch a sweeping attack on the Tinubu administration’s handling of security, the economy, education, and healthcare.

He claimed insecurity had worsened nationwide, accusing the Federal Government of failing to halt persistent attacks and killings across several regions of the country.

“Every region of this country is gripped by insecurity, the worst kind in our history,” he said.

The ADC candidate promised to strengthen the armed forces, police, and intelligence agencies through expanded recruitment, improved welfare packages, and modern equipment if elected president.

On the economy, Atiku argued that official claims of recovery did not reflect the reality faced by ordinary Nigerians struggling with inflation, rising living costs, and unemployment.

“The poverty gripping our people is at a level we have never seen in our history,” he stated.

He also criticised the government’s management of fuel subsidy removal and mounting public debt, alleging that borrowed funds were being diverted through contracts awarded without transparency.

On education, Atiku pledged to introduce free and compulsory primary and secondary education, warning that Nigeria’s growing out-of-school population posed a major threat to national development.

“This cannot be tolerated in the modern world where education is the surest path to employment, wealth creation and national progress,” he said.

The former vice president further accused the Federal Government of neglecting the healthcare sector and promised increased investment in primary healthcare and specialist medical services.

Drawing a contrast with the APC administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, Atiku declared that an ADC government would deliver “renewed action” aimed at rebuilding the economy and restoring public confidence in governance.

His emergence is expected to reshape the political landscape ahead of 2027, particularly as opposition parties continue efforts to consolidate forces against the ruling APC in what could become one of Nigeria’s most competitive presidential elections in recent history.