Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has told members and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that his emergence as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election is not a time for celebration but a time for serious work and unity.
Atiku made the statement while reacting to his victory at the party’s presidential primary election, where he emerged as the ADC flagbearer ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a message posted on his X account shortly after the primaries, the former presidential candidate urged all party members, including contestants who lost during the exercise, to work together to rescue Nigeria from what he described as bad governance under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the focus of the opposition should now be on uniting Nigerians and preparing for the task ahead rather than engaging in victory celebrations.
“I must state at this juncture that this is not the time to celebrate,” Atiku wrote.
“No one was defeated because we are one party and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment.”
He added that members of the ADC must remain united if they hope to defeat the ruling APC in the next general election.
“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,” he said.
Atiku also praised the leadership of the ADC and members of the party’s primary election committee for conducting what he described as peaceful, transparent and credible primaries across the country.
The former vice president commended party leaders, stakeholders, volunteers and supporters for their conduct during the process.
“I thank the Primary Elections Committee for organising peaceful, free, fair and transparent primaries,” he said.
“I thank the various leadership organs of our party, the various stakeholders and volunteers for their hard work and dedication and all our party members and supporters for their efforts, patience and conduct during the process.”
Atiku said the completion of the primaries marked the beginning of a more difficult political journey as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.
“With the primaries behind us, the real hard work is about to begin,” he stated.
“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.”
The emergence of Atiku as ADC presidential candidate is expected to reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku remains one of Nigeria’s most experienced politicians, having contested for president multiple times under different political parties. He served as Vice President between 1999 and 2007 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was also the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 elections but lost both contests to President Bola Tinubu of the APC.
His movement to the ADC comes amid growing political realignments among opposition politicians seeking to challenge the APC in 2027.
In recent months, several political leaders and groups have expressed concerns over the country’s economic hardship, rising inflation, insecurity and the high cost of living.
The opposition has repeatedly accused the APC-led government of failing to address the nation’s major challenges, while the ruling party has defended its policies, saying reforms introduced by President Tinubu are necessary to stabilise the economy and attract investment.
Atiku’s call for unity within the ADC is seen by many as an attempt to prevent post-primary disputes that often weaken political parties before major elections.
Over the years, disagreements arising from party primaries have contributed to defections, court cases and internal crises within many Nigerian political parties.
By urging contestants and supporters to work together, analysts say Atiku may be trying to avoid such divisions ahead of the 2027 campaign season.
Meanwhile, supporters of the former vice president have continued to celebrate his emergence, describing him as an experienced leader capable of challenging the APC in the next election.
Some party members also expressed confidence that the ADC could become a stronger opposition platform under Atiku’s leadership.
As preparations gradually begin for the 2027 elections, political activities are expected to intensify across the country, with parties already positioning themselves for what many believe could be another highly competitive presidential contest.