Coalition of Grassroots Democrats- CGD Plateau State Chapter

30/05/2026

28/05/2026

I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege, which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its Presidential Candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour.

We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress. In our party, members are allowed to express their views, to have ambitions and to contest for elective positions in a free, fair and transparent process.

Our great party is a coalition built through hard work, immense sacrifices and compromises, guided by our determination to rescue our country’s democracy which is facing its greatest threat since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

As I speak, virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crisis engineered by the APC government, the INEC and elements in the judiciary. And opposition figures continue to be harassed and intimidated, including those languishing in detention, such as Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who distinguished himself as a public servant, including as a Minister and two-term Governor of Kaduna State. He has been in detention for three months despite court orders granting him bail. He has been denied the right to celebrate two important religious holidays with his family in addition to being denied the opportunity to be by his mother’s side as she took her last breath. All because he is a leading opposition figure! This kind of cruelty must stop. The government continues to harass, intimidate and coerce opposition politicians to join the APC using the security agencies as well as the agencies which were set up by a previous government to fight corruption. Under this government, once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear. This abuse of power must stop.

Great care was taken to ensure that due diligence was done in the process of forming this coalition. Yet the government and the INEC continue to undermine it, even trying to deregister it. Let me warn that any further attempt to interfere in the affairs of the party by the Presidency, INEC and judiciary will be fiercely resisted. Enough is enough.

I congratulate my fellow contestants for this ticket to represent our great party in the elections scheduled for early next year. I know that you are driven by your patriotism and commitment to a better Nigeria and improved life for our people. I know that, like me, you are deeply concerned about the rapid descent of our country into economic disaster, catastrophic insecurity, extreme nepotism, political intolerance and the drive towards a one-party state by the current government and its party. I thank you for your healthy participation in this democratic process.

I must state at this juncture that this is not the time to celebrate. No one was defeated because we are one party and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment. Therefore, we have to unite, as we pledged before this process, to work to pull our country and our people out of the destructive grip of a corrupt, incompetent and polarising APC government.

I thank the primary elections Committee for organising peaceful, free, fair and transparent primaries. I thank the various leadership organs of our party, the various stakeholders, and volunteers for their hard work and dedication and all our party members and supporters for their efforts, patience and conduct during the process.

With the primaries behind us, the real hard work is about to begin. We have to prepare to campaign hard to win the next general elections in order to begin the difficult process of rescuing our country and its long-suffering people from this government.

We will be guided by clear national plans with set targets and timelines in line with commitments enshrined in our party’s manifesto. We will provide clear leadership that will empower our states to competitively attain the potentials of meeting the expectations of citizens. That will include working with them to guarantee well-outlined minimum standards of welfare provision in line with international best standards. Ours will be a new era of accountable leadership.

We shall prioritise Security, Education, the Economy, Healthcare and the challenge of power- sharing among the constituent units of our country.

Security

Every region of this country is gripped by insecurity, the worst kind in our history. Our people are being slaughtered in large numbers and the government has failed to take decisive and effective action to stop it and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The most disturbing is that members of our security forces, including military generals, are being slaughtered wantonly in a manner that can only be embarrassing to our military, which fought to keep the country together and is highly respected in various parts of the world where they distinguished themselves in international assignments. All we have been getting from the government is silence and, on occasion, expression of condolence and empty promises to deal with the murderers.

An ADC government under my leadership will take decisive action to address insecurity and protect lives and property in the country. We shall strengthen the armed forces, the police and other security agencies with massive new recruitment, provision of modern and adequate equipment, training, improved welfare and effective leadership. We shall also ensure accountability and proper coordination and intelligence sharing among all our security agencies.

It is obvious to us in the ADC that we can only secure our country long-term if we educate our young people and create an economy in which they and their families can thrive and help to change Nigeria and the world for the better.

Education

Under the watch of this APC government over 20 million of our school-age children are not in school. This cannot be tolerated in the modern world where education is the surest path to descent employment, wealth creation, national development and enlightened citizenry. We will, therefore, implement free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary levels and invest in leadership, entrepreneurial, technological and innovation skills amongst our teeming youth.

We shall embark on a holistic revival of our educational system by ensuring that staffing, buildings and all infrastructures are in place to make Nigerian youths competitive again. And the welfare of teachers will reflect their critical importance in nurturing the young.

Economy

This APC government has failed woefully on the economy. The poverty gripping our people is at a level that we have never seen in our history. The government brandishes statistics claiming that the economy is growing. But what has really been growing is the ill-gotten wealth of a few in and around the corridors of power while our people have extreme difficulty finding food to eat, paying for transport, medical treatment or their children’s school fees.

We commit to building an economy that benefits all Nigerians. Building an economy that works for Nigerians can only gather momentum when we address our utterly embarrassing and economy-destroying energy crisis. The provision of electricity is a minimum requirement for industrialization, be it in the factory or in the farm, for big business and for small enterprises. We shall remove the various bottlenecks limiting investments in various sectors of our economy in order to attract local and foreign investments that would create jobs and create meaningful growth in our economy. And we shall provide incentives where necessary to promote investment and job creation.

The government promised improved welfare for our people with the removal of fuel subsidy. Needless to say, the savings from subsidy removal has not been accounted for and the economic hardship resulting from the action has been unbearable. To make matters worse, borrowing has become the cornerstone of the economic policy of the APC government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. External borrowing alone has reached 30 billion dollars in the last three years. And the massive amounts being borrowed are given away in contracts to friends and cronies of those in government without competitive bidding and with no pretensions of due process. The future of our younger generation is being mortgaged with no accountability. That has to change and will change under an ADC government.

Healthcare

In the face of glaring healthcare challenges facing the country, we learned recently that the Federal Ministry of Health received only 30 million naira for capital expenditure in the preceding fiscal year. This is clearly a government that doesn’t care about the health of our people. Our ADC government will prioritise healthcare, with emphasis on prevention. Therefore, we will make massive investments in primary healthcare. In addition, we shall properly equip and staff our medical centres of excellence to ensure that our people receive the best specialist care here in Nigeria rather than travel abroad for same. We shall establish more such centres where needed and also incentivise the private sector to establish world class medical facilities across the country to meet the needs of our people.

In the coming weeks and months, we shall be rolling out our platform addressing these priorities and other issues in more details and with clear timelines.

Fellow citizens, where the APC government offers meaningless renewed hope, we will provide renewed action to repair the damage that they have done to our economy and society in the last twelve years of misrule.

My dear friends, we have gone through great challenges to build this coalition. Let us now turn our energies to continuing to build this party as we prepare for the campaign to win the elections and to rescue this country from the current misrule. We have a sacred responsibility to build a party that will stand as a great institution not only in Nigeria but as a great example to the world.

I, therefore, appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to come back to our party and close ranks with the rest of us. I appeal to all those who contested for various positions in our primaries to close ranks with us. In particular, I invite Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country. As I said previously, there are no winners and no losers. Our people look up to us for leadership. I am ready to lead. I shall work with you all to continue to build our party. I will campaign with you and, if Nigerians give us the mandate, govern with you to build a country that works for all.

Thank you and may God bless you and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. -AA

28/05/2026

SOMETHING BIGGER THAN US ALL

SPEECH BY SENATOR DAVID MARK, GCON, CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC), AT THE OFFICIAL COLLATION AND DECLARATION EVENT OF THE PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES:

PROTOCOLS:

1. Distinguished leaders and stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress, members of the National Working Committee, members of the National Executive Committee, coalition leaders, elected officials, youth groups, civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, INEC officials, the media, our esteemed aspirants, party faithful gathered here at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Nigerians joining us from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and Nigerians in diaspora—good evening, and welcome to this historic official collation and declaration event of the ADC Presidential Primaries.

2. Today is not just about announcing a presidential candidate.

3. Today is also about proving a point to Nigeria and to Nigerians.

4. It is about proving that democracy can still work. Proving that political competition does not have to become political warfare. That a party can organize itself around principles instead of personalities. And that in a season of deep national anxiety, a bright future is still possible.

5. That is why this gathering matters. And that is why history will remember what we have done here today.

6. Let me begin by thanking every member of the African Democratic Congress for your steadfastness, your patience, your sacrifices, your understanding, and your faith in this party, especially in the face of daunting challenges. Many people doubted us. Some dismissed us. Others predicted confusion, division, and even outright collapse.

7. But you stood firm. You kept faith with the ADC.

8. And today, because of your commitment, our party stands taller, stronger, and more united.

9. Let me also recognize and appreciate the members of the Presidential Screening Committee and the Presidential Primary Election Committee for their patriotism, diligence, and professionalism throughout this process. In the face of enormous pressure, logistical complexity, and intense national attention, they carried out their responsibilities with courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency. Their work has strengthened the credibility of this exercise and reinforced the confidence of our members and the Nigerian people in the integrity of the African Democratic Congress. On behalf of the leadership and the entire membership of our party, I thank them for their sacrifice and service to our party and to democracy.

10. Now, I also want to specially commend our three distinguished aspirants: former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON, and the former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group and former Chairman of NNDC, Mr. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, OON. It is important to mention, that we are the only political party to have 3 strong aspirants contest for the presidential ticket. This alone makes the ADC unique in its deep commitment to democracy, and democratic practices.

11. This also demonstrates the loyalty of these three gentlemen to our party, their courage to compete for the great opportunity to serve, and their abiding faith in democracy.

12. By subjecting themselves to this process, they did not merely contest an election. They strengthened democracy. And despite efforts in some quarters to create uncertainty and tension, they remained committed to this process and to the ideals of this party. And for that, the ADC owes them a debt of gratitude.

13. My brothers and sisters, a few days before these primaries began, I invited the three presidential aspirants to a private dinner. Just four Nigerians seated around a table, speaking honestly and frankly about the future of our country and the future of this party.

14. I remember looking at each of them and saying something very simple: “Whatever happens in this primary, let us remember why we are doing this. Majority of Nigerians are looking up to us to liberate them from the current regime of suffering. We must not let them down.”

15. I told them that the ADC has a rare opportunity to demonstrate to Nigerians a different political culture—a culture where competition would not destroy unity, where ambition would not bury principle, and where the process would matter as much as the outcome. To their credit, all three men agreed with me. I believe that understanding is what has brought us to this moment.

16. When I accepted the responsibility of leading this party as Chairman, I made a promise before God and before Nigerians—that I would be fair to all; that I would ensure a level playing field; that every member, regardless of status or influence, would have equal opportunity and equal respect. This exercise is the culmination of that commitment.

17. In the last several weeks, I have come under intense pressure from different quarters. Pressure to choose. Pressure to endorse. Pressure to tilt the scale one way or another.

18. But I insisted that the African Democratic Congress is not that kind of political party. We are not a party where one individual—or a few powerful interests—sit in a room and decide the presidential candidate before members get the opportunity to vote.

19. We are a party committed to the highest principles of democratic practice. And with this primary election, we have demonstrated exactly that.

20. We did not work towards a predetermined outcome. We allowed a free contest. We allowed our members across Nigeria to make their choice.

21. Ladies and gentlemen, I must admit that this process has not been easy. When the Electoral Act imposed the option of direct primaries, we understood immediately the enormous logistical and administrative burden involved. Coordinating an exercise across 36 states and the FCT was not going to be a simple undertaking.

22. There were difficulties and challenges; especially given that we were attempting an assignment of this magnitude for the first time.

23. But despite the challenges, I am proud to say that overall, we have conducted a process that was free, fair, credible, and worthy of democratic standards.

24. I do not claim that what we have done is perfect. I admit that there is room for improvement. However, I do not think that the observable shortcomings are sufficient to invalidate the exercise or to discredit the entire process. I can only hope that we have learnt valuable lessons from this experience. Let me add that I take full responsibility.

25. Ladies and gentlemen, what is not in doubt is the commitment of the African Democratic Congress and my personal commitment to continue to build a political party that will stand as a shining example of internal democracy, administrative efficiency, and political accountability.

26. It is for these reasons that I will want to implore all our great aspirants to rise above the moment; to rise above the euphoria of triumph and the despair of defeat and embrace that which is greater than all of us: the commitment to build a strong political party that is committed to serving the Nigerian people.

27. This is our opportunity to demonstrate why we are different, and why we are ADC. We are a party whose aspirations run deep. We want to become the example of what a truly democratic political party should look like in Nigeria and in Africa.

28. People often ask us: “How is the ADC different?”

29. We are the only major political party in Nigeria whose constitution guarantees the independence of its bureaucracy and protects it from interference and capture by narrow interests.

30. We are one of the few parties deliberately structured to accommodate diverse voices—trade unions, professional associations, youth groups, women, persons living with disabilities, and patriotic Nigerians from all walks of life. That is not an accident. It is a reflection of who we are.

31. We are social democrats. Our ideology is anchored on the simple but powerful belief that government must put citizens first; that leadership must serve the people; and that democracy must improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

32. We are of the firm belief that at a time when millions of our citizens are burdened by economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, social division, and growing hopelessness, politics cannot continue to be business as usual.

33. Our country faces an existential challenge. Families are struggling to survive. Young people are losing faith in leadership. Communities are living in fear. And many Nigerians feel abandoned by those entrusted with power. That is why what we are doing here tonight matters more than the sum of individual ambitions or personal interests.

34. This primary is not simply about selecting a candidate. It is about beginning a national rescue mission. And so, I want to appeal directly to our three aspirants.

35. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON

36. Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, CON

37. Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, OON

38. Each one of you is eminently qualified. Each of you has served this country with distinction in important capacities. All of you possess the experience and capacity to offer leadership to Nigeria. However, it can only be one of you who would fly the flag of our party and tonight, the members of the African Democratic Congress have spoken. I congratulate you, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This party has placed its trust in you and you must realise that you now have a duty to build bridges and carry every member along.

39. Today, all of us have won, but we must remember that the larger mission remains greater than individual ambition. We must work together to win, not only for us, but for the Nigerian people.

40. My dear compatriots, the journey ahead will not be easy. But I am confident that with the Nigerian people on our side, we will win.

41. But Nigerians are also watching to see whether we as opposition leaders can still rise above ego, division, and personal interest. They are watching to see whether we can put them first.

42. Let tonight send a message across our nation - that the ADC stands for fairness, inclusion, courage, and democratic integrity. Let tonight mark the beginning of something greater than mere politics. Let it mark the rebirth of political trust in Nigeria.

43. I urge every member, every supporter, and every aspirant to embrace the spirit of unity, sportsmanship and patriotism.

44. Let us leave this hall not as divided camps, but as one family with one purpose: to build a better Nigeria.

45. May God bless the African Democratic Congress.

46. May God bless all our aspirants and candidates.

47. And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

48. Thank you very much.

END….
SEN. DAVID MARK,
CHAIRMAN, AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS,
26 MAY 2026.

26/05/2026

The Kano ADC primary election results have been officially declared, with H.E. Atiku Abubakar securing 155,995 votes, Hayatudeen Mohd garnering 15,914 votes, and Rotimi Amaechi obtaining 9,994 votes.