Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday challenged delegates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), urging the party to prioritise competence and national appeal over sentiment and social media popularity as it prepares to choose its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku dismissed social media enthusiasm as an insufficient test for leadership, insisting that the party must field its strongest candidate to defeat President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that with Nigeria grappling with economic hardship, rising debt, insecurity, and institutional decay, the ADC cannot afford to field an untested candidate.
“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency,” he said.
Without mentioning any rival by name, the former vice president appeared to take a swipe at the growing enthusiasm surrounding some contenders, stressing that presidential elections are won through structure, strategy, and governance capacity — not online popularity.
“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 stated.
Atiku described the decision before ADC delegates as one that goes beyond ordinary political calculations, calling it a historic responsibility given the scale of Nigeria’s current challenges.
“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.
He added that the moment requires 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.”
