By Lateef Ibrahim
Presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has declared Monday’s presidential primary election a crucial test of the party’s seriousness and credibility in the eyes of Nigerians seeking a viable alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Saturday at the “MHD for ADC” North Central Townhall held in Abuja, Hayatu-Deen delivered what could be described as his closing argument to party stakeholders, warning that the public is watching the party’s choices closely.
“Nigerians are watching us carefully,” Hayatu-Deen cautioned delegates.
“They are waiting to see whether the ADC truly intends to become a serious national alternative or merely another platform for recycled politics.”
He added that Monday’s primary is a historic decision that will determine whether the ADC is ready to rescue the country or if it will choose to present a “recycled candidate carrying old political burdens and failed ideas.”
Positioning himself as a fresh alternative, the former banking executive and policy expert stressed that he carries no political baggage and owes no allegiances to political godfathers.
“I am not on the carousel of the same old faces that Nigerians have seen for decades,” he declared.
“What I bring is experience, credibility, integrity, calm leadership, and a practical recovery plan for Nigeria.”
He further warned that if the party fails to elect a nationally competitive candidate capable of building a broad coalition, the country risks facing “four more years of economic hardship, rising insecurity, deepening poverty, and growing hopelessness.”
Turning his attention to regional challenges, Hayatu-Deen spoke extensively on the worsening insecurity, displacement, and economic decline affecting communities across Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi States.
He described ongoing attacks on farming communities as both a humanitarian and economic crisis, stating, “A nation cannot prosper when the region that feeds it is bleeding.”
Hayatu-Deen also weighed in on recent legal developments regarding political party administration, strongly defending a recent High Court ruling on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
“The High Court was right to affirm that INEC should not dictate the internal democratic processes of political parties,” he argued.
“INEC’s responsibility is to ensure credible elections, maintain fairness, and protect the integrity of the electoral process, not to interfere in how parties manage their internal affairs.”
Concluding his final major engagement before Monday’s vote, Hayatu-Deen made a direct appeal to the North Central delegates for their mandate to carry the party’s flag into the 2027 general elections.
