Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has stated that he and the party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will be out of active politics if President Bola Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election. This statement was made during the inauguration of the ADC Women's League Conference at the Shehu Yar'Adua Centre in Abuja on Tuesday. Amaechi emphasized that the party's grassroots structure would be critical to its performance in the election.
Amaechi urged women across the country to take an active role in the party's grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections. He challenged them to return to their respective communities and mobilise voters for the ADC. According to Amaechi, the party is counting on women to play a significant role in mobilising voters, citing their role in previous political campaigns. The ADC vice-presidential candidate also criticised the current economic situation in the country.
The former Rivers State governor linked rising poverty and illiteracy to economic hardship, stating that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria had increased substantially. He also criticised the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that it had contributed to higher costs across the economy. Amaechi proposed that the ADC's plan to restore subsidy would involve a production subsidy aimed at reducing the cost of locally produced petroleum products.
Amaechi's comments come as the ADC intensifies its preparations for the 2027 election. The party formally announced Amaechi as Atiku's running mate in June 2026, following the party's presidential primary in which Atiku emerged as the presidential candidate. Atiku's wife, Titi Atiku-Abubakar, also urged women to mobilise voters and participate actively in the 2027 electoral process during the women's conference.
Titi Atiku-Abubakar criticised the rising cost of living, citing increases in the prices of medicines, food, and petrol. She urged women not to allow temporary financial inducements or food items to determine their voting decisions but to consider the longer-term interests of their families and communities. The ADC presidential candidate had made clear that the party would not take the 2027 elections for granted.
The party's campaign would extend beyond the presidential contest to governorship elections across the states, with the goal of mobilising support for its candidates at different levels of government. Director-General of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Austin Akobundu, stated that the party had established women and youth leagues as part of its grassroots mobilisation strategy.
The ADC Women's League Conference is part of the party's efforts to engage directly with voters and mobilise support ahead of the 2027 election. Other speakers at the conference, including PDP Women Leader, Hon. Naomi Lasara Abel, emphasised the need for greater participation of women in legislative and policy-making processes. The ADC has been making efforts to strengthen its grassroots organisation ahead of the election.
Key points
- Amaechi says he and Atiku will retire from politics if Tinubu wins 2027 election
- ADC intensifies preparations for 2027 election with grassroots mobilisation strategy
- Party's presidential candidate, Atiku, vows not to take 2027 elections for granted
