Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is the only political party that can salvage Nigeria from its current economic and security woes.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the ADC’s Taraba State office in Jalingo, the state capital.
According to the former vice president, he and other politicians have tasted membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other political parties and realised that these parties do not have what it takes to take Nigeria out of its current quagmire.
He made the claims following his official defection to the party on Monday, just 17 months before the 2027 general elections.
Before joining the coalition, Atiku was a high-profile member of the PDP.
He, however, left the opposition party on July 16, citing irreconcilable differences that had emerged within the former ruling party.
He also called on Taraba residents to come out in their numbers and register in the ongoing continuous voter registration if they genuinely want to save themselves from the current economic and security woes of the country.
“I am in Taraba to inaugurate our new party office of the ADC, and I want you to hold the party with integrity.”
“Do not allow anybody to deceive you with any other party, because we have tasted other political parties and they brought nothing but insecurity, hunger, poverty, and unemployment.”
“The youths and women should know that we are doing this for them to have a better future, and I am holding on to their promise.”
“ADC will win Taraba state, win Nigeria as the only reliable political party.”
Following Atiku’s defection, the Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, said Atiku lacks the capacity to fix Nigeria.
Speaking during a recent television interview, the ex-Edo State Governor claimed the former vice president’s long struggle to stabilise the PDP weakens his claim that he can turn the country around.
According to the former APC National Chairman, Atiku had not shown the capacity to provide direction within the PDP despite his long-standing influence in the party.
“If Atiku, as a former vice-president under PDP, could not fix PDP, he could not reconstruct it, and he could not provide leadership and use his influence, which he had built, how can you lay claim to fix Nigeria?” Oshiomhole queried.
The senator also recalled Atiku’s exit from the APC, saying the former vice-president only left the ruling party because he failed to clinch its presidential ticket.
“He was once a member of the APC. He left because he lost the party’s presidential ticket,” he said.
“He went back to the PDP. He’s so much in love with the PDP, at least for the purpose of contesting elections. He could not build PDP.
“So, if Atiku can’t build the PDP that made him vice-president, he can’t fix Nigeria,” he added.
Wole Ayodele
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