ADC presidential candidate questions government’s handling of detainees, cash transfers, budgets, fuel prices and public debt, while promising electoral reforms if elected in 2027.

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to address what he described as growing concerns over the rule of law, economic hardship, public spending and insecurity in Nigeria.

Atiku made the demands on Thursday in Abuja in an Independence Day address marking Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.

The former vice president called on the Federal Government to address the grievances surrounding the case of convicted Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, while also demanding explanations over the continued detention of Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria and Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.

“On this day, I call for the rule of law to be applied fairly in every case. The continued detention of Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria and Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai raises questions about due process that the authorities must answer,” Atiku said.

On Kanu, he said the government must respect his legal rights following his conviction.

“Following Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction, his right to lawful appeal must be respected, while the grievances and divisions surrounding his case must be addressed seriously,” he said.

Atiku also renewed his call for the release of five young Nigerians reportedly arrested in Borno State after wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription, “Tinubu Must Go.”

“A political slogan on a shirt must never become a reason to imprison a Nigerian,” he said.

Atiku: Nigerians Struggling to Survive

Reflecting on the country’s economic situation, Atiku said Nigeria had moved significantly away from the vision of its founding fathers, arguing that the past three years of the Tinubu administration had deepened the hardship facing ordinary Nigerians.

“The past three years under Bola Tinubu have plunged Nigeria into the most severe cost of living crisis in our history. Families are not merely tightening their belts. They are skipping meals, delaying treatment and borrowing to survive until payday,” he said.

Atiku criticised the President’s recent optimism about the economy, particularly Tinubu’s declaration that “emergency treatment is over” and that an “age of prosperity” has begun.

He argued that political speeches alone could not improve the material conditions of Nigerians.

“A president may announce a new chapter in a speech. He cannot put food onto a family’s table or money into a worker’s pocket,” Atiku said.

Questions 2025 Budget Extension

The ADC candidate also questioned the extension of the 2025 budget until the end of 2026, while the 2026 budget is already in operation.

“You have just signed an extension keeping the 2025 budget in operation until the last day of 2026. The 2026 budget exists alongside it. Soon, your government will ask Nigerians to examine a 2027 budget,” he said.

“How many budgets must be open at once before you can tell the country what was funded, what was completed and what remains unpaid?

“A budget should be a timetable for delivery, not a ball passed from one year to the next,” he added.

Demands Details of ₦750bn Cash Transfers

Atiku further demanded an account of the cash transfers reportedly made to more than 10 million Nigerians.

He referenced a statement attributed to APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda that more than 10 million Nigerians had received ₦75,000 each — a figure that would amount to at least ₦750 billion.

“Professor Yilwatda says many beneficiaries have no phones. So how did your government identify, contact and pay them, particularly in parts of Yobe and Borno where insecurity makes access difficult?” Atiku asked.

“Did officials deliver the money by hand? If so, who delivered it, and where are the receipts? If it went into bank accounts, show the transaction records.

“If you could find ten million people to pay, you can account for the payments,” he said.

Fuel, Food Prices Under Scrutiny

Atiku also used fuel and food prices to illustrate what he described as the declining purchasing power of Nigerian workers.

According to him, a ₦30,000 minimum wage in April 2023 could purchase about 118 litres of petrol, while the ₦70,000 minimum wage could purchase only about 50 litres at the time he referenced.

“The salary has more than doubled on paper; the petrol it can buy has fallen by more than half,” he said.

He also cited increases in the prices of eggs and bread, saying an egg that sold for about ₦88 in April 2023 had risen to about ₦261 by May 2026, while a loaf of bread that cost roughly ₦500 in 2023 had risen to about ₦2,000 for a smaller loaf.

“If 2023 was the illness, why does your ‘cure’ buy less fuel, fewer eggs and a smaller loaf of bread?” he asked.

Atiku criticised the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that it was implemented without adequate protection for households affected by the resulting price shock.

He said an ADC-led government would introduce a “capped, budgeted production subsidy” tied to verified fuel refined in Nigeria, including output from modular refineries.

“Imported petrol will not qualify. The benefit must reach consumers through lower pump prices. We will publish the costs, independently audit the payments and cut government waste to help fund the programme,” he said.

‘Did Your Promise Miss the Bus?’

Atiku also challenged the administration over its promise to reduce transport fares from October 1.

“Before I forget, you promised Nigerians lower transport fares from October 1. Today is October 1. Did your promise miss the bus?” he asked.

Questions ₦166.79tn Debt, Fresh World Bank Loan

The ADC candidate raised concerns over Nigeria’s public debt, citing a figure of ₦166.79 trillion as of the end of June.

He also questioned discussions around another $1.5 billion in World Bank loans.

“Before you borrow another dollar in the people’s name, tell them what the money already borrowed has delivered,” Atiku said.

He equally called for greater transparency over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract awarded to Hitech, a company associated with the Chagoury Group.

Atiku alleged that the contract was awarded through restricted bidding rather than an open public tender and challenged the government to make the procurement documents public.

“Then publish the invitations, the bids, the evaluations, the final contract and every variation. Let Nigerians see how this enormous award was decided,” he said.

Demands Payment of Outstanding Debts

Atiku further alleged that some local contractors who had completed government projects remained unpaid, while military pensioners and federal workers had complained about outstanding entitlements and delayed payments.

“Pay the outstanding entitlements, publish what remains unpaid, and stop claiming that everyone has been paid in full,” he said.

On security, Atiku said the government had two fundamental responsibilities: making life affordable and protecting citizens.

“A government that cannot make life affordable and cannot protect life has failed the two tests that matter most to its people,” he said.

He also recalled the deaths of three people in a stampede at the Niger State Government House following reports that ₦10,000 would be distributed, calling again for a full account of how the gathering was organised.

Atiku Promises Electoral Reforms Ahead of 2027

Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, Atiku promised that an ADC administration would respect the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He pledged to support the prompt publication of results from every polling unit and said anyone found guilty of vote-buying or electoral manipulation would face the law, regardless of political affiliation.

“Your vote must count as you cast it. You should not need powerful friends to make it count,” he said.

Atiku concluded his address by calling on Nigerians to pursue political change through the ballot box.

“We have chosen a different course, peacefully and together, through the power of our votes; the message is clear: Tinubu must go,” he declared.