Abuja: Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has formally submitted his presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at the national secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this move by Atiku comes on the heels of a similar submission by Mr Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, earlier in the day.
NAN reports that with these submissions, the number of presidential aspirants vying for the ADC ticket now stands at three, including Abubakar, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Amaechi. The aspirants arrived at the ADC national secretariat with numerous supporters, causing significant traffic congestion in and around the party’s premises on Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
The submission activities also saw a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, submitting his nomination form for the Kebbi governorship. However, both Abubakar and Malami refrained from engaging with the media or delivering public speeches after their submissions.
In a similar political development, Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), submitted her form seeking re-election to the Senate. Speaking to journalists post-submission, Amaechi emphasized the importance of electing leaders based on merit, competence, and proven performance, urging Nigerians to evaluate presidential aspirants by their public service records and ability to lead effectively.
Amaechi urged the electorate to make leadership choices based on candidates’ competence, electoral strength, and experience, rather than succumbing to sentiment or identity politics. He expressed confidence in his experience and capabilities, highlighting his tenure as Rivers governor and Minister of Transportation as evidence of his governance capacity.
Addressing Nigeria’s challenges, Amaechi stressed the need for leadership that transcends ethnic, regional, or religious divides, highlighting that citizens are united by common hardships. He urged voters to prioritize merit over ethnicity, religion, or slogans, criticizing the current economic situation and advocating for a merit-based electoral process.
On the ADC presidential primaries, Amaechi expressed his preference for direct primaries but stated his willingness to accept a consensus decision should party members choose him.