Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, have formally entered the race for the 2027 presidential election under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), submitting their nomination forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.
Their entries mark a significant escalation in early political realignments ahead of the next general election.
Both politicians used the occasion to outline contrasting but overlapping visions of national recovery, positioning themselves as experienced leaders capable of steering Nigeria out of its current economic and governance challenges.
Atiku, in a statement shared via his official X handle, described his presidential ambition as part of a broader national movement aimed at restoring prosperity, unity and hope.
He said his campaign goes beyond politics, presenting it as a collective effort to rescue the country from what he termed national despair and declining public confidence in governance.
He called on Nigerians across ethnic, religious, and regional lines to support what he described as a “renewal movement,” stressing that the objective was to rebuild the country’s promise and restore better living conditions.
Similarly, Amaechi, who also submitted his nomination forms at the ADC secretariat, pledged to transform Nigeria within four years if elected president. He argued that the 2027 election should be determined strictly by competence, experience, and performance, rather than ethnicity, zoning or political sentiment.
The former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation said Nigerians must critically evaluate all presidential contenders based on their track records in public service.
According to him, leadership choice should be a “referendum on performance,” insisting that his record in governance made him best suited for the task.
Amaechi also took aim at the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, blaming its policies for worsening economic hardship across the country. He urged voters to reject what he described as divisive political rhetoric and instead prioritise merit and capability.
Drawing from his tenure as governor and later as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Amaechi highlighted his role in infrastructure development, particularly railway projects such as the Abuja–Kaduna and Lagos–Ibadan rail lines. He said these experiences had equipped him with the capacity to manage national transformation.
“I believe I am the most experienced,” Amaechi said, adding that he was confident in his ability to turn the country around within a single term if given the mandate.
He further criticised what he described as the “it is our turn” political mentality, arguing that such sentiments had contributed to Nigeria’s current economic and governance challenges. He maintained that the 2027 election must be a contest of ideas, capacity and delivery.
The dual submissions by Atiku and Amaechi underscore the growing prominence of the ADC as a platform attracting high-profile political figures ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party has continued to witness an influx of aspirants seeking alternatives outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
