Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally submitted his presidential nomination form to the leadership of the African Democratic Congress at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, taking what he described as a firm and decisive step forward in what he characterised as a national movement aimed at restoring prosperity and rescuing Nigeria from economic despair.
The submission marks Atiku’s formal entry into the 2027 presidential race on the ADC platform, coming days after the party confirmed receipt of his N90 million nomination fee and announced that the formal presentation of forms would take place at its national secretariat.
The former vice president, who has contested the Nigerian presidency on multiple occasions and ran as the Peoples Democratic Party’s flag bearer in the 2023 election, described Thursday’s exercise as more than a political transaction, framing his candidacy as a broader national cause driven by hope, renewal, and a collective determination to reverse what he has consistently described as the Tinubu administration’s organised hardship.
In a statement issued after submitting the forms, Atiku said: “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. 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. 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.”
The ADC, which has been positioning itself as a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of 2027, described Atiku’s formal entry as a significant moment in what it called a growing movement for national renewal, democratic inclusion, and people-driven leadership. The party said it remained committed to providing a strong platform built on unity, competence, economic recovery, security, and national progress.
Atiku’s ADC presidential bid places him in a multi-candidate field that includes economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who submitted his own nomination form earlier in the week and called on the party to prioritise competence over zoning in its selection of a presidential candidate.
The development sets the stage for what is expected to be a closely watched ADC presidential primary as the party determines whether to adopt a consensus candidate or proceed to a direct primary, a decision that will significantly shape the opposition’s capacity to mount a credible challenge to the APC’s re-election campaign for President Tinubu in 2027.
