2027: Focus on competence, not social media popularity, Atiku urges ADC

The former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has urged delegates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to give priority to competency, experience, and acceptability when picking the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

In a statement released on Sunday via the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku noted that for Nigeria to address its leadership problems, the person chosen to be the President must be competent and experienced enough to deliver on governance right from Day One.

The reason he gave is that the nation is facing the problem of recession, insecurity, growing public debt, weakening institutions, and frustration among the citizenry. Hence, it behooves the ADC to produce its most formidable candidate in its attempt to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job presidency,” Atiku stated.

Without mentioning any rival aspirant, the former vice president appeared to dismiss growing enthusiasm around some contenders, arguing that electoral victories are built on political structures, strategy, experience and governance capacity rather than 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 said.

Atiku described the decision before ADC delegates as a defining moment, stressing that the party must focus on selecting a candidate capable of addressing Nigeria’s complex 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 maintained that the next president must possess experience in governance, economic management, coalition building and international engagement.

The former vice president pointed to the economic reforms implemented during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he served as vice president, citing the privatisation programme, fiscal reforms and debt relief efforts as examples of leadership and policy competence.

“The economic reforms that helped reposition Nigeria, the privatisation drive that opened sectors, the fiscal discipline that contributed to debt relief, and the governance reforms of that era were not accidents. They were products of leadership, competence, and courage,” he said.

Atiku challenged delegates to carefully consider the implications of their choice.

“ADC delegates must ask themselves: do we want to make a statement, or do we want to make a president?” he queried.

He further argued that defeating an incumbent administration would require more than public excitement, insisting that the party must choose a candidate capable of building a broad national coalition across regions, religions and demographic groups.

“The ADC must think beyond sentiment. It must think about victory. It must think about governance. It must think about Nigeria. This is a defining election. The party needs a candidate with national acceptability, political resilience, tested structures, and the capacity to unify disparate interests into one winning coalition,” he said.

Atiku concluded by urging delegates to approach the primary election with a sense of national responsibility.

“History will remember this moment. The choice before ADC delegates is not merely about ambition. It is about destiny. Nigeria deserves rescue, not rhetoric,” he declared