Will you restore the dignity of the police force and reform policing in Nigeria?

Today, I was delighted to receive former First Lady, H.E. Aisha Buhari. Her visit was warm and deeply appreciated. Beyond the courtesies of the occasion, it was also a reminder of the urgent responsibility before all who seek a better Nigeria: to put the welfare, dignity and future of our people first. Across our country, families are being stretched by the rising cost of food, transport, education, healthcare and other basic necessities. Nigerians deserve an economy that rewards hard work, restores opportunity and allows every family to live with dignity and hope. That is the Nigeria we must build together, a country that works for its people again. We must ease the burden, restore hope and Make Nigeria Affordable Again. -AA

INTRODUCTION Nigeria is at a defining moment where the choice is no longer between reform and stagnation, but between a system that works for the people and one that continues to fail them. For too long, economic reforms have come at the expense of the people, governance has drifted away from accountability, and systems meant to serve citizens have instead constrained opportunity. This manifesto is built on a clear and deliberate philosophy: that the purpose of government is to work for the people and that reform must deliver real improvements in everyday life. Its goals are simple and urgent: i) to end insecurity across the nation; ii) bring down the cost of living; iii) create more opportunities for Nigerians, and iv) ensure strict adherence to the rule of law. This manifesto is anchored on three fundamental principles: i) That every policy, from economic reform to security to social protection, must be measured by its impact on citizens; ii) That Nigeria's challenges are structural and require coordinated, institutional solutions, not ad hoc interventions; and iii) That reform is necessary, but it must be sequenced, supported, and humane, ensuring that Nigerians are not pushed further into hardship in the process.

2. GOVERNANCE The ADC will: 1. Put citizens at the center of governance. Government decisions must reflect the needs, rights, and voices of the people. Details: ● Ensure justice is dispensed within clear and reasonable timeframes ● Abolish the current remand order framework used by magistrate courts to detain individuals unjustly ● Ensure that citizens whose rights are violated by law enforcement receive compensation, while offending officials are held accountable through sanctions ● Establish an independent National Prosecution Service within the first year, consolidating prosecutorial powers into a single impartial body that operates strictly on evidence and the law - eliminating political interference and ensuring equal application of justice ● Establish a Public Defender's Office at both federal and state levels to provide legal representation for those who cannot afford lawyers 2. Reform the judiciary from a system that produces judgments to one that delivers justice.

2. Reform and reorient the police into a true public service. Transition from a colonial-style, regime-protection force to a citizen-focused policing system. 3. Demilitarize the police. Details: ● Gradually end police barracks as the default system of accommodation ● Decentralize deployment by assigning mid- to lower-level officers closer to their states of residence 4. Establish clear controls around arrests and detention. Details: ● Mandatory use of body cameras and installation of cameras in interrogation rooms ● Clear and enforceable guidelines on the use of force and firearms 5. Decentralize Policing and Strengthen Democratic Security Governance We will establish a multi-layered security system that reflects Nigeria's federal structure, improves response times, and ensures accountability at all levels. Details:

● Implement a federal, state, and community-based policing system built on subsidiarity, clear jurisdictions, and enforceable national standards ● Empower states with operational control over policing within a nationally regulated framework to ensure professionalism and rights protection ● Clarify the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local security actors to eliminate overlaps and improve coordination ● Align constitutional responsibilities with operational authority, ensuring that governors can effectively fulfill their role as Chief Security Officers ● Strengthen community-based security structures to improve intelligence gathering, trust, and rapid response at the grassroots level ● Establish national oversight mechanisms to maintain standards, prevent abuse, and ensure accountability across all policing levels 6. Correctional Services Reform. Clearly define detention and correctional systems.

I have the experience to lead this country, and that is what Nigeria needs now. I have done this work before. Nigerians elected me Vice President twice, in 1999 and 2003, and in government I led the reforms that returned loss-making government companies to private hands and opened our economy to private investment. I served Nigeria in the Customs Service from 1969 to 1986, and I have built businesses that today employ thousands of Nigerians, so I know how jobs are created. The two issues Nigerians care about most are restoring vitality to our economy and securing the country. My plan is clear: end insecurity, bring down the cost of living, create opportunities for every Nigerian, and uphold the rule of law. Nigeria has given me so many opportunities to be who I am today. If the presidents we have had offered better leadership, I would have retired my ambition. But I cannot, in good conscience, do that when I know I have better ideas to offer. The constitution allows a four-year term, and a second term is not an automatic entitlement. I am in this race to serve.