…Says Atiku’s Government Will Put Nigerians Firs
The Director-General and Campaign Manager of the African Democratic Congress/Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Austin Akobundu, has criticized the APC-led federal government for touting macroeconomic statistics as achievements while subjecting Nigerians to deepening poverty, unprecedented hardship, and untold suffering.
Senator Akobundu made the remarks on Friday during the inauguration of the ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
In his acceptance speech, Akobundu, who is also the party’s candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections, said that as Nigerians struggle to afford food, transport, housing, healthcare and education, with businesses shutting down in droves, the APC remains preoccupied with promises and speeches that offer no relief.
“For nearly four years, the APC government has asked Nigerians to endure. But families can not eat promises. Commuters can not travel on speeches. Small businesses can not stay open on assurances that relief is coming,” he said.
“The Tinubu administration has made life more expensive, while too many Nigerians struggle to see any promised benefits from its policies. Nigerians do not eat GDP figures or government allocations. They need money in their pockets and a fair chance to live with dignity,” adding that, “Tinubu made life expensive. Atiku Abubakar will make life affordable again.”
Akobundu accused the Tinubu administration of weaponizing state institutions against political opponents, citing the continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the “abrasive rhetoric” of APC leaders toward citizens as examples of “draconian and oppressive” policies. He described them as “the last kicks of a dying horse.”
Declaring that the ADC would no longer condone acts of “intimidation and harassment,” he pledged that the ADC campaign would be anchored on respect for the rule of law as a fundamental principle of democracy, and focused on the daily needs of citizens: affordable food, lower transport costs, reliable electricity, accessible education, decent healthcare, and jobs that pay a living wage.
He outlined key commitments of an Atiku-led government to include placing production and affordability at the heart of governance; restoration of a targeted, budgeted production subsidy for fuel refined in Nigeria; return the Eastern maritime port corridor to full operational capacity; implement the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy so local government funds reach local governments; end haphazard budget implementation that leaves agencies unable to deliver and contractors unpaid; overhaul the health sector for greater efficiency; provide accessible financing for women and youth entrepreneurs through a transparent programme; guarantee security and safety for all Nigerians; unite Nigerians across all divides, among others.
“These commitments,” Akobundu continued, “require political will, experience, and the ability to bring people together. Atiku Abubakar has demonstrated those qualities. He is an experienced administrator, a compassionate statesman, and a unifying leader.
“By the grace of Almighty God and the will of the Nigerian people, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will be the next President of Nigeria,” he declared.
