Nigeria Needs a President Who Can Govern, Not Just Trend Online, Says Atiku to ADC

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar urged delegates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to focus on competence and national reach rather than social‑media popularity as the party prepares to select a presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

A statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, indicated that Atiku dismissed online enthusiasm as an inadequate measure for the presidency.

He stressed that the ADC must field its strongest candidate to defeat President Bola Tinubu, arguing that Nigeria’s current economic hardship, mounting debt, insecurity and institutional decay leave no room for an untested contender.

"This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning‑on‑the‑job presidency," he declared.

Atiku criticized the surge of enthusiasm around certain candidates, insisting that presidential contests are decided by structures, strategy and governance capacity, not digital noise.

"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.

He described the choice before ADC delegates as a historic responsibility that transcends ordinary political calculations, given the scale of Nigeria’s current crisis.

"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?"

Atiku argued that the moment demands a leader who has "negotiated globally, created jobs through enterprise, managed national crises, built coalitions, and consistently articulated a practical roadmap for economic recovery and national renewal."