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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Screening Committee, yesterday, grilled former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, foremost banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
The exercise chaired by former Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, is part of the preparations for the opposition party’s presidential primary on May 25.
A statement issued by Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, after the exercise described the engagement as beyond routine party procedures.
It said the exercise provided the former vice-president an opportunity to present practical solutions aimed at rescuing Nigeria from economic stagnation and security challenges.
The statement quoted Atiku as expressing concern over mass unemployment, institutional decline and persistent insecurity, which, he said, had exposed citizens to kidnappings, killings and violent attacks.
He said that Nigeria could not continue on its current path where hardship persisted, businesses collapsed and investor confidence declined because of uncertain economic policies.
Atiku stated that his economic blueprint would focus on job creation, private sector expansion, fiscal discipline, stable macro-economic management and attracting sustainable investments into Nigeria.
He said that his security agenda would prioritise intelligence-driven operations, improved inter-agency collaboration, decentralised security structures and decisive actions against criminal activities across the country.
“At this defining moment in our national life, Nigeria does not need experiments. It needs tested leadership and courage to make necessary national decisions,” he said.
The presidential aspirant reaffirmed his commitment to building a secure, united and prosperous Nigeria where citizens could live peacefully and pursue opportunities with dignity and confidence.
On his part, Hayatu-Deen, while speaking with journalists after the exercise, expressed confidence that the ADC offers the most credible platform for defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s election.
The presidential aspirant, who was former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, said if nominated as the ADC candidate, his campaign would focus on issues affecting citizens.
He described the screening exercise, which he said lasted about one hour, as seamless, thorough and professionally conducted by members of the party’s screening committee.
“I was screened by the panel established by the party after submitting my completed nomination forms to the national secretariat in line with requirements.”
Hayatu-Deen said that the party would determine whether candidates would emerge through consensus arrangements or direct primaries.
While expressing his readiness to participate in either process, the presidential aspirant said that he remained committed to the party’s internal democratic procedures and constitutional provisions governing the primaries.
“If I emerge as the party’s nominee, I pledge to Nigerians a disciplined and focused campaign that addresses their aspirations at this difficult national moment,” he stated.
Hayatu-Deen identified insecurity, unemployment, high living costs, poor infrastructure, inadequate electricity supply and deteriorating educational and healthcare institutions as priority challenges requiring urgent attention.
According to him, tackling the nation’s socio-economic difficulties would form the central focus of his campaign agenda, alongside other programmes aimed at achieving national development and economic revival.
Responding to questions on the screening duration, Hayatu-Deen said that extensive documentation submitted by aspirants required careful verification and scrutiny by members of the screening committee.
He said members of the screening members also asked questions relating to the party’s constitution, manifesto, governance issues and requirements necessary for effective national leadership and administration.
On the possibility of a consensus arrangement, Hayatu-Deen said he would abide by any decision reached by the party, in accordance with its code of ethics.
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“As a loyal party member, I have signed the code of ethics and will support whichever mode of primaries the party adopts,” he stated.
Asked whether he would step down if requested by the party, Hayatu-Deen declined detailed comments, saying that such discussions were internal matters that should be best handled privately.
On his preparedness for direct primaries, he said he had carefully prepared for the race and remained confident of emerging victorious if delegates voted directly.
“You do not enter a process like this without preparation because your credibility, reputation and supporters’ confidence are all at stake,” he said.
The presidential aspirant also pledged to assemble competent professionals from across Nigeria, if elected president.
He said merit, capacity and national representation would guide appointments into government positions.
According to Hayatu-Deen, Nigeria possesses abundant human resources, promising to appoint “the best and brightest” individuals into cabinet positions as well as ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Meanwhile, Amaechi has said he would scrap the federal character principle if elected president in 2027, insisting that all Nigerians should enjoy equal citizenship rights.
Amaechi, who spoke shortly after appearing before the ADC screening committee said issues relating to indigeneship would no longer exist under his administration, regardless of whether citizens originate from northern, eastern, western or southern part of the country.
According to him, the federal character principle exists because the Nigerian system is unfair and does not guarantee equal opportunities for citizens across the federation.
He said that every Nigerian should be allowed to function freely without discrimination, stressing that competence and merit should determine employment and appointments into public institutions.
Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers, attributed the rising insecurity and criminality to widespread poverty, unemployment and failures within the nation’s socio-economic system, describing it as deeply defective.
“The reason people carry guns is because the system is bad. Nigeria has been divided into the rich and the poor,” he stated.
He noted that while wealthy Nigerians send their children to private schools, poor rely on poorly-funded public schools, with limited educational opportunities and infrastructure.
Amaechi urged Nigerians to assess political leaders based on their performance records rather than ethnic or regional considerations.
He cited the reforms implemented during his tenure as Rivers governor, saying that his administration improved public education and encouraged movement from private to government-owned schools.
Amaechi said that his administration also established healthcare centres across communities and increased the number of employed doctors from 400 to 600 in Rivers.
He explained that his government implemented free healthcare services, with government paying medical institutions directly, based on the number of patients treated monthly.
“Every primary healthcare centre established by my administration was staffed with at least one doctor and two nurses for effective service delivery,” he stated.
Amaechi said that Nigerians should judge leaders by tangible achievements and policies instead of sectional sentiments, based on ethnicity, region or political affiliations.
Responding to questions about reports linking him with vice-presidential ambitions, Amaechi dismissed the claims, insisting that he was contesting solely for the presidential position.
“I don’t want to be vice president. I made myself clear and did not speak in ambiguous terms,” he said.
