Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has outlined an ambitious vision for Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, promising to tackle insecurity, rebuild institutions, and restore public confidence in governance if elected president.
Speaking through former lawmaker Nnenna Ukeje at a Democracy Day event organized by the Coalition Political Action Committee (COPAC) in Abuja, Atiku said Nigeria was in urgent need of leadership capable of addressing the nation’s growing challenges.
He described the upcoming 2027 election as a defining moment for Nigerians to choose a government committed to competence, accountability, and national unity.
“My fellow countrymen and women, let this Democracy Day mark the beginning of our collective turning point,” Atiku said in his address. “Let us raise our voices against the steady retreat of democratic practice. Let us stand firm against every attempt to silence the opposition and to criminalise those who demand accountability.”
The former vice president congratulated Nigerians for sustaining democratic governance despite mounting economic and security difficulties, noting that the resilience of citizens had inspired him to continue pursuing national transformation.
Atiku pledged that an ADC-led administration would focus on restoring security across the country, particularly in communities affected by insurgency, banditry, and other forms of violence.
“We are ready to reclaim our country, to rebuild our institutions, to protect our children, to carry nation-building beyond rhetoric, to heal our fault lines, and to reunite our people into one secure, prosperous, and just nation,” he declared.
Addressing concerns over the nation’s economic outlook, Atiku warned that Nigeria’s growing debt burden was placing immense pressure on public finances and threatening the future of younger generations. He argued that resources currently spent on debt servicing should instead be directed toward education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security.
The ADC candidate also expressed concern over worsening insecurity, stating that attacks on schools and communities had left many Nigerians living in fear.
According to him, children have become some of the greatest victims of the country’s security crisis, while farmers remain unable to carry out their activities without the threat of violence.
“I offer a new direction and a clean departure from failure,” Atiku said. “Together, you and I, we will confront insecurity decisively. We will take back our country, downgrade insurgency and banditry, secure our schools, protect our communities, and enable our farmers to feed the nation without fear.”
He further promised to address the rising cost of living through practical economic measures designed to improve the welfare of ordinary Nigerians and restore dignity to hardworking citizens.
Atiku maintained that Nigeria requires a leader who combines experience, empathy, and patriotism with the capacity to distinguish governance from political rhetoric.
Meanwhile, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the growing participation of young Nigerians in politics offered hope for the country’s democratic future. He noted that youth involvement would strengthen political engagement and contribute fresh ideas to governance.
COPAC Convener Aminu Datti Ahmad also urged Nigerians to remain actively involved in the democratic process, warning that democracy suffers when citizens become disengaged.
“A society begins to decline when everyone waits for someone else to act,” Ahmad said. “Democracy begins to weaken when citizens withdraw.”
At the conclusion of the event, COPAC issued a communiqué calling for the immediate convening of a National Candidate Summit aimed at harmonizing policy messaging and campaign strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group also pledged to promote reconciliation and unity within the ADC while mobilizing party members and democratic stakeholders in support of the party’s electoral ambitions.
