Abuja: A presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has urged members to support credible leadership ahead of Monday’s presidential primary election. Hayatu-Deen made the appeal on Saturday during the ‘MHD for ADC’ North Central Townhall held in Abuja, describing the primary as decisive for Nigeria’s future direction. He said the exercise should not be viewed merely as an internal party process, but as a historic opportunity to reposition Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Hayatu-Deen emphasized the importance of presenting a credible candidate who can inspire national confidence, as Nigerians are weary of failed leadership and recycled politics. He positioned himself as a fresh face, promising credibility, integrity, calm leadership, and practical recovery plans if elected. Hayatu-Deen highlighted the ongoing issues of insecurity, unemployment, displacement, and economic hardship affecting communities in states like Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi.
Hayatu-Deen shared personal experiences from Borno, stressing that security would be a primary responsibility under his administration. He recounted the kidnapping of his sister, who was held captive for three years, to underscore the urgency of addressing insecurity with effective national leadership. He also unveiled economic recovery plans focusing on agro-processing zones, youth employment incentives, women empowerment, and restoring productivity across the North Central region.
Hayatu-Deen defended the independence of political parties, citing recent court rulings affirming that INEC should not interfere with parties’ internal democratic processes. He stated that INEC’s role is to ensure credible elections, fairness, and electoral integrity, rather than meddling in how political parties conduct their internal activities. He called for Nigeria’s democratic institutions to become truly independent, accountable, and credible to restore public trust and strengthen governance.
Describing Monday’s presidential primary election as a major test of the ADC’s credibility, Hayatu-Deen emphasized the importance of presenting a nationally competitive candidate. He warned that failure to do so could exacerbate economic hardship, insecurity, poverty, and hopelessness across the country. In his closing remarks, Hayatu-Deen appealed to delegates and stakeholders to support his aspiration and entrust him with the ADC presidential ticket.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the North Central Townhall marked Hayatu-Deen’s final major engagement with stakeholders before the ADC presidential primary election.