*Blasts APC for ‘crushing democracy’ ahead of 2027 election

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has accepted his emergence as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the victory as both humbling and a call to rescue Nigeria from what he termed “the destructive grip” of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In his reaction following the ADC presidential primary, Atiku expressed appreciation to party members and stakeholders for entrusting him with the party’s ticket ahead of the next general election.

“I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege, which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its Presidential Candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour,” he stated.

The former Vice President said the conduct of the primary election showed that democratic values were still alive within the ADC despite what he described as growing suppression of opposition politics in the country.

“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” Atiku declared.ADC Presidential candidate, AtikuAbubakar giving his acceptance speech. Photo credit: @Atiku/X

“In our party, members are allowed to express their views, to have ambitions and to contest for elective positions in a free, fair and transparent process.”

Atiku said the ADC coalition was formed through “hard work, immense sacrifices and compromises” driven by the desire to protect Nigeria’s democracy from collapse.

He accused the APC-led government of allegedly engineering crises within opposition political parties through the collaboration of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and elements within the judiciary.

According to him, “virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crisis engineered by the APC government, the INEC and elements in the judiciary.”

The ADC candidate also raised concerns over the detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, alleging political persecution.

“And opposition figures continue to be harassed and intimidated, including those languishing in detention, such as Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who distinguished himself as a public servant, including as a Minister and two-term Governor of Kaduna State,” he said.

“He has been in detention for three months despite court orders granting him bail. He has been denied the right to celebrate two important religious holidays with his family in addition to being denied the opportunity to be by his mother’s side as she took her last breath. All because he is a leading opposition figure. This kind of cruelty must stop.”

Atiku further alleged that federal agencies were being used to intimidate opposition politicians into joining the APC.

“The government continues to harass, intimidate and coerce opposition politicians to join the APC using the security agencies as well as the agencies which were set up by a previous government to fight corruption,” he said.ADC Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Photo credit: @Atiku/X

“Under this government, once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear. This abuse of power must stop.”

He also warned against any move to undermine the ADC coalition, including alleged plans to deregister the party.

“Let me warn that any further attempt to interfere in the affairs of the party by the Presidency, INEC and judiciary will be fiercely resisted. Enough is enough,” Atiku stated.

The former Vice President congratulated other contestants who participated in the primary election, saying they all shared a common vision of rescuing Nigeria from economic hardship, insecurity and political intolerance.

“I must state at this juncture that this is not the time to celebrate. No one was defeated because we are one party and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment,” he said.

“Therefore, we have to unite, as we pledged before this process, to work to pull our country and our people out of the destructive grip of a corrupt, incompetent and polarising APC government.”

Atiku also commended the ADC primary election committee, party leaders, stakeholders and supporters for ensuring a peaceful and transparent exercise.

“With the primaries behind us, the real hard work is about to begin. We have to prepare to campaign hard to win the next general elections in order to begin the difficult process of rescuing our country and its long-suffering people from this government,” he added. (Accord)