From Idu Jude, Abuja
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Otunba Emmanuel Fayose, has expressed confidence that former vice president and 2027 presidential flag bearer of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has the capacity to beat every contender of southern extraction in the general election.
Fayose highlighted that the former vice president enjoys significant support in the South-West, despite the presence of several presidential contenders from the region, including incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, Makinde of the PDP, Omoyele Sowore and many others.
Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, spoke at a meeting with national leaders of the ADC in Abuja, stressing that the ADC flag bearer is being hunted because of his popularity.
“The South-West is expected to play a crucial role in the 2027 presidential election, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incumbent, alongside other prominent contenders, including the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, and Seyi Makinde, the flag bearer of the Allied Peoples Movement. I can tell you that all jokers and their strengths will be exposed during the elections. It is time Nigerians know who their leaders are. The APC and their flag bearer are already making excuses for not attending campaign rallies. It is because they know that Nigerians will stone them,” he said.
Fayose, while expressing optimism that Atiku could attract substantial support from voters in the region, emphasised the need for more voter education and sensitisation, especially for the youth who constitute the largest demography.
“We need this as a weapon; we need to guard against vote-buying and inducement by the moneybags in APC,” he said.
Also speaking, Senator Dino Melaye again reassured of his earlier resolve to make the APC leadership pay for its sins. He said Nigerians are dissatisfied with the Tinubu administration and are ready for a change of leadership.
He argued that Atiku’s experience in governance made him a credible alternative for Nigerians seeking a different direction for the country.
“I don’t need to tell you that things are getting worse by the day in Nigeria. The price of items in the market will rise. The price per litre of fuel will increase,” he said.
Also speaking, spokesperson for the Atiku Campaign Council, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, urged Nigerians to support a leader capable of making life affordable again, stressing the need for leadership that would address the economic difficulties confronting citizens.
With the 2027 election approaching, the ADC leaders expressed confidence that Atiku would emerge as the next President of Nigeria, having posed a strong challenge. He appealed to Nigerians across regional and political divides to support the ADC by voting for the party’s presidential candidate.