2027: ADC Says Atiku Won’t Be an Absentee President 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has said its 2027 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would offer Nigerians a presidency that is accessible and actively engaged in governance.

The council made the claim on Monday in Abuja when it received the leadership of the Atiku Unity Movement, led by Francis Eburuwe.

ADC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party believed Atiku possessed a clear understanding of the country’s economic and social challenges and had developed policies aimed at addressing them.

He pointed to Atiku’s 2023 campaign position on petrol subsidy removal, when the former vice-president advocated a gradual approach to the policy to limit its impact on households.

Ologbondiyan argued that developments in the last three years had demonstrated the need for a president who remained available, responsive and directly engaged with issues requiring government action.

He said the country could not afford uncertainty over the leadership of government during critical situations and maintained that the next administration needed to provide focused direction.

“The country needs a President who understands the challenges confronting Nigerians and is physically available to respond to the demands of governance. 

“Nigeria cannot afford a situation in which there is uncertainty over who is effectively directing the affairs of government at critical moments. The country requires firm and focused leadership,” he said.

The ADC campaign council said an Atiku presidency would prioritise economic recovery, citizens’ welfare and rebuilding confidence in public institutions.

It also referenced Atiku’s recent proposal for a production-based intervention on domestically refined petroleum products, which includes a spending ceiling, National Assembly approval and independent auditing.

The proposal has been criticised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, which has questioned its legal, fiscal and operational viability, including its compatibility with the Petroleum Industry Act.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the Atiku Unity Movement delegation, Francis Eburuwe, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to Atiku’s candidacy.

Eburuwe said the movement would mobilise Nigerians around what it described as the need for a change in the country’s political direction and take Atiku’s message to voters across the country.

The movement also pledged its support for the ADC presidential campaign and urged its members to remain committed to grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The statement comes as attention remains focused on President Bola Tinubu’s prolonged stay outside Nigeria. 

Tinubu left the country on August 30 for a three-week working vacation, which the Presidency later extended by several days.

As of Monday, September 28, he had yet to return, with the Presidency saying he would be back during the week.

Multiple reports have sparked political debate over the president’s prolonged absence, while the Presidency has maintained that he has continued to perform his official duties remotely.