2027: Atiku, Amaechi Submit ADC Forms, Promise New Nigeria

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday formally submitted their presidential nomination forms at the national secretariat of the African Democratic Congress in Abuja, signaling a major boost for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The separate declarations by the two political heavyweights come amid growing political realignments and mounting consultations among opposition figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next presidential election.

Atiku, who announced the submission of his nomination forms through a post on his X handle shortly after visiting the ADC headquarters, described his presidential ambition as part of a broader national movement aimed at rebuilding Nigeria and restoring economic prosperity.

According to the former vice president, the move marked another significant step in what he called a determined effort to rescue the country from worsening hardship and national decline.

“The march to restore prosperity and better days to our beloved nation took a firm and decisive step forward today at the national secretariat of our great party, the African Democratic Congress,” Atiku stated.

The former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate stressed that his ambition transcended politics and personal interests, insisting that the project was focused on national renewal, unity and hope for millions of Nigerians facing economic and social difficulties.

“This is more than a political journey; it is a national movement rooted in hope, renewal and the collective resolve to save Nigeria from despair,” he added.

Atiku further appealed to Nigerians across religious, ethnic and regional divides to rally behind the movement, saying the country required collective sacrifice and unity to overcome its current challenges.

“I call on all Nigerians, regardless of region, faith or background, to join us in this noble cause. Together, we will restore the promise of our nation and bring good times back again,” he said.

The submission of the forms by Atiku has intensified speculations over ongoing coalition talks among opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 election, especially as the ADC continues to attract influential politicians from different political blocs seeking an alternative platform.

Meanwhile, former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, also formally entered the presidential race after submitting his nomination documents at the ADC national headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking with journalists shortly after completing the process, Amaechi pledged to transform Nigeria within four years if elected president in 2027, maintaining that the country needed competent and experienced leadership rather than politics driven by ethnicity or regional sentiments.

The former minister argued that the forthcoming election should be based strictly on merit, performance and leadership capacity.

“Nearly everybody who is running for the office of the president has served Nigeria in one way or another. Let this be a referendum. If you have performed, whoever has outperformed the other, vote for the person,” he said.

Amaechi also expressed confidence in his credentials and political experience, insisting that his years in public office had adequately prepared him for the presidency.

“The next thing is, who is capable of delivering the votes? Who is capable of beating the incumbent? Who has the experience? I believe I am the most experienced,” he stated.

“I am young, I am the most experienced, and I believe I have the capacity.”

The former governor urged Nigerians to assess his performance both as governor of Rivers State and later as Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Go back to Rivers State and see what I have done. Go back to the Ministry of Transportation and see what I have done, and assess it and see whether I can turn the country around. And I will, in four years, turn the country around,” he declared.

Amaechi served as governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and was regarded as one of the influential figures behind the formation of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 elections. He later played a key role in Buhari’s presidential victory after serving as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.

As Minister of Transportation between 2015 and 2023, Amaechi supervised several major rail infrastructure projects across the country, including the Abuja-Kaduna and Lagos-Ibadan railway lines. His tenure, however, also attracted criticism over the rising debt profile associated with some of the rail and transport projects financed through external borrowing.

The former minister used the occasion to criticise the current administration of President Tinubu, blaming what he described as poor economic policies for the growing hardship being experienced by Nigerians.

According to him, many Nigerians were struggling with worsening inflation, rising food prices and declining living conditions as a result of policies introduced by the present government.

“Nigerians should vote for merit,