RismadarVoice Reporters
May 24, 2026
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has urged delegates of the African Democratic Congress to choose competence, experience and national appeal over social media popularity as the party prepares to select its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku warned that Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges require a leader with proven governance capacity, insisting that the country cannot afford what he described as “political experimentation.”
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said the ADC must present its strongest candidate to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency,” Atiku stated.
He dismissed growing enthusiasm around some presidential hopefuls, arguing that elections are won through political structure, strategy and competence rather than online influence.
“Elections are not won on social media enthusiasm alone. Governance is not performance art. The presidency is not a platform for improvisation. The ADC must present to Nigerians its strongest, most credible, most prepared candidate; not merely its loudest,” he said.
According to Atiku, the decision before ADC delegates goes beyond routine political calculations and should be guided by the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from economic hardship, insecurity, rising debt and institutional decline.
“At a time when Nigeria is bleeding from every pore, crippled by economic hardship, insecurity, rising debt, institutional failure, and deepening hopelessness, the question before the ADC is simple: who has the capacity not merely to campaign, but to govern effectively from day one?” he asked.
The former presidential candidate further argued that the country needs a leader with global exposure, crisis management experience, coalition-building capacity and a practical economic recovery plan.
He said the moment demands a leader who has “negotiated globally, created jobs through enterprise, managed national crises, built coalitions, and consistently articulated a practical roadmap for economic recovery and national renewal.”
