Kí ni ìwọ yóò ṣe láti so àwọn alátakò ìjọba tẹ́lẹ̀ pọ̀ àti láti mú ẹgbẹ́ náà lágbára sí i fún ìdìbò gbogbogbò?

Honours In 1982, at the unusually young age of 36, Atiku was appointed to the enviable position of Turaki Adamawa, a position of honour, and a position of high responsibility. Since then accolades have been bestowed on him from various monarchs across the six geo-political zones of the country. He holds the following titles: • Waziri of Adamawa (Adamawa Emirate) • Zege Mule U Tiv (Tiv Nation, Benue State), "Great Shelter of the Tiv Nation", conferred on 27 May 2001 • Sardauna of Ganye (Adamawa State) • Maiyedero of Lagos • Ekwueme of Anambra • Atayese of Ijeshaland • Zanna Zantaelma of Borno • Zanna Kawaskima of Yobe • Shettima of Biu (Borno State) • Suka of Ogoniland • Unuamani of Adamawa • Baagbile of Oke Ona Egba, Egbaland • Omekaojuora of Igbuzo • Otun Balogun of Mopaland • Nwanne Di na Mba of Ngor-Okpala (Imo State) • Enyioha Ndigbo In June 2017, he was elevated Waziri Adamawa, second in command only to the Lamido of Adamawa; the Waziri is one of the highest offices of the Adamawa Emirate and a senior kingmaker. On becoming Waziri he relinquished the title of Turaki Adamawa, which passed to his son, Aliyu. Rotary International and the National Peace Corps Association of the United States have recognised the former Vice President for matching his passion with his purse. In 2011, the National Peace Corps Association made him the first recipient of its Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award, for his contribution to democracy and to higher education in Africa. "No private business man in Africa has worked harder for democracy or contributed more to higher education than Atiku Abubakar," his citation read. (Source: National Peace Corps Association, https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/cpages/wofford-award-winners) He is a Foundation Fellow of St Antony's College, University of Oxford (Source: St Antony's College, https://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-atiku-abubakar/). On 30 June 2013, the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Switzerland, conferred on him an honorary doctorate in Diplomacy and International Relations. Atiku has also been honoured by a number of Nigerian universities: • PhD Honoris Causa, University of Maiduguri • PhD Honoris Causa, University of Calabar • PhD Honoris Causa, Igbinedion University, Okada • PhD Honoris Causa, Federal University of Technology, Yola • PhD Honoris Causa, Imo State University, Owerri • PhD Honoris Causa, Bayero University, Kano • PhD Honoris Causa, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun

On this occasion of Democracy Day, it is time for us to reflect as a people and a country on our journey to becoming a democratic society. For Nigerians who were around during the dark days of military dictatorships, it is important that we appreciate the successes that we have achieved in making democracy the norm of politics in Nigeria. But democracy without a corresponding commitment to the principles of fairness and fidelity to the rule of play by stakeholders in conducting elections still leaves the people prostrate to dictatorship tendencies. For our democracy to be fully fledged, it must constantly evolve away from the current practice where the governing elite determines the outcome of elections. When I often take stock of the activism that birthed the current democratic dispensation, I am even more convinced that much work still lies ahead. Democracy and the process of democratisation are a constant work in progress. While what we celebrate today is a return to civil rule in Nigeria, the desire to make our democracy self-sustaining and independent of anti-democratic elements is the new frontier of participation by all democrats.

As for me and my party this phase of our work is done. However, I am not going away. For as long as I breathe I will continue to struggle, with other Nigerians, to deepen our democracy and rule of law and for the kind of political and economic restructuring the country needs to reach its true potential. That struggle should now be led by the younger generation of Nigerians who have even more at stake than my generation. So, let me make a few proposals that I believe will help. We can urgently make constitutional amendments that will prevent any court or tribunal from hiding behind technicalities and legal sophistry to affirm electoral heists and undermine the will of the people. Our democracy must mean something; it must be substantive. Above all, it must be expressed through free, fair and transparent elections that respect the will of the people. Firstly, we must make electronic voting and collation of results mandatory. This is the 21st century and countries less advanced than Nigeria are doing so already. It is only bold initiatives that transform societies. Secondly, we must provide that all litigation arising from a disputed election must be concluded before the inauguration of a winner. This was the case in 1979. The current time frame between elections and inauguration of winners is inadequate to dispense with election litigations.

Our country stands at the cusp of a new beginning, and the decisions that voters in the elections on Saturday shall make will determine how ready we are, as a people, to provoke the march to economic and national recovery. I would also like to advocate for a peaceful election this Saturday and urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the opportunity of this by-election to redeem itself of the fraudulent and shambolic elections of 2023. I want to specifically urge members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party and, indeed, agents of other political parties participating in the elections to conduct themselves according to the laid down regulations on the day of the election. -AA

I call on the political elite to unite in the noble mission of safeguarding our democracy from the brink of authoritarianism. Our founding fathers united under a common cause, championing our independence through peaceful, political activism. What we celebrate today is the fruition of their collective endeavors and those of subsequent generations. It is deeply regrettable that our current landscape reflects a troubling decline in electoral credibility, increasingly manipulated by those in power. Our political milieu has become corrosive; opposition parties languish in weakness, while the ruling party appears to manipulate internal processes to render them ineffectual. Nigeria teeters on the brink of a one-party dictatorship, and it is incumbent upon all politicians and statesmen of integrity to rise and reclaim our democracy from the encroaching shadows of oppression. In closing, I make an impassioned appeal to political leaders across all party lines: let us forge a formidable coalition, one that will provide Nigerians with a credible opposition capable of steering our beloved nation towards a promising future. -AA #October1

This afternoon, I received a delegation of ADC stakeholders from Taraba State. I am pleased to hear that they are committed to grassroots mobilisation and membership registration to build formidable structures of the party across all levels in the state. Against all efforts by the current Tinubu-led APC government to force one party on citizens, building a credible opposition to give our people a reliable option and freedom of choice cannot be taken lightly. I encourage that special attention be given to youths and women. They are the future. -AA

This afternoon, I hosted a delegation of Bauchi State’s critical stakeholders in our party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Alhaji Aminu Ahmed Yapeco, Sarkin Yakin Katagum. Our conversation focused on how to strengthen the party’s structures in the state. We have examined the gaps, and I am committed to working with the party’s leaders at all levels until we achieve a virile opposition that will best serve the interests of the people of Bauchi. -AA

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.

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.

Earlier today, I met with my fellow 2027 Adamawa State African Democratic Congress candidates across all elective positions, including our governorship candidate, Hamman Tukur Ribadu. I urged the party leaders, led by the Deputy National Chairman North East, Mr Daniel Bwala, and State Chairman Rt. Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin, to reconcile and unite all party members, and to begin engaging with our people through mass mobilisation and voter sensitisation efforts ahead of the upcoming general elections. I am pleased to see the party uniting to form a common front. I have encouraged them to maintain these efforts. -AA

Earlier today, I met with my fellow 2027 Adamawa State African Democratic Congress candidates across all elective positions, including our governorship candidate, Hamman Tukur Ribadu. I urged the party leaders, led by the Deputy National Chairman North East, Mr Daniel Bwala, and State Chairman Rt. Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin, to reconcile and unite all party members, and to begin engaging with our people through mass mobilisation and voter sensitisation efforts ahead of the upcoming general elections. I am pleased to see the party uniting to form a common front. I have encouraged them to maintain these efforts. -AA

I also encouraged the Council to advocate strongly for a level playing field for all political parties and candidates in the forthcoming elections. For my part, I remain committed to supporting every genuine effort aimed at strengthening our democracy, particularly by safeguarding the integrity, credibility and fairness of our electoral processes. -AA