BY EDMOND ODOK – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday submitted their nomination forms at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Secretariat in Abuja, setting the stage for a competitive primary for the coalition party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Joining both heavyweights in this strategic move is Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen who submitted his forms earlier on Wednesday, to set the stage for a battle royale as political activities heat up ahead of next year’s general elections.
Sharing a post on his social media handles on Thursday, former Vice President Atiku promised to restore prosperity and better days to Nigerians wrote, “The march to restore prosperity and better days to our beloved nation took a firm and decisive step forward today at the national secretariat of our great party, the African Democratic Congress.
“This is more than a political journey; it is a national movement rooted in hope, renewal, and the collective resolve to save Nigeria from despair.”
Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, urged “all Nigerians, regardless of region, faith, or background, to join us in this noble cause. Together, we will restore the promise of our nation and bring good times back again.”
Meanwhile, addressing journalists shortly after submitting his form, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the coming election should be a referendum on those who have served Nigeria in various capacities.
He said what you are seeing currently is that nearly everybody who is running for the office of the president has served Nigeria in one way or another, “Let this be a referendum. If you have performed, whoever has outperformed the other, vote for the person. The next thing is who is capable of delivering the votes? Who is capable of beating the incumbent? Who has the experience?”
Confidently asserting his credentials, Amaechi boldly positioned himself as the most qualified candidate for the job, highlighting his unique combination of youth and proven governance capabilities to lead the nation effectively.
To back up his claims, he pointed to his tangible track record of infrastructure development during his tenure as the Rivers State Chief Executive as well as evident transformative achievements at the helm of the Ministry of Transportation, even as he challenged critics and citizens alike to objectively analyze his past performance.
Also guaranteeing that he possesses the vision and drive to completely revitalize the nation’s fortunes within a single four-year term, the former Rivers Governor urged Nigerians to vote for merit and not those who say ‘I’m from this place’, ‘I’m from that place’.
According to him, it is the turn of Nigerians to wake from their slumber and demand accountability from political office holders “because you see there is no market for Christians, neither is there a market for Muslims, or a market for northerners or southerners.”
On his part, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen said Nigeria needs a competent and unifying leader to confront the country’s mounting economic and security challenges ahead of the 2027 general election.
Shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the ADC’s presidential primary, Hayatu-Deen told journalists that Nigerians must place competence above zoning, insisting that competence and national cohesion must define the next presidency.
Noting that the country can no longer afford divisive leadership, the former banker and economist said, “What is required here is competence and distinction in terms of one’s ability to provide leadership to every single individual in this country. The 230m people deserve a leader who is a unifier, not a divider. One who is very competent, who understands this country, its opportunities and problems, and who also understands what the world is all about and Nigeria’s place in it.”
