The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has urged Nigerian youths not to exchange their future for money or other inducements during elections, warning that vote buying only perpetuates poor leadership and underdevelopment.
Atiku made the call on Sunday while sharing the text of a speech he delivered at the RiseUP Nigeria event in Abuja, where he challenged young Nigerians to take a more active role in shaping the country’s democratic future.
Addressing the youths, the former vice president described their votes as one of the most powerful tools for changing the country’s direction and urged them to resist attempts by politicians to manipulate them during election periods.
“Do not exchange four years of your future for one afternoon of inducement,” he said.
“A bag of rice will disappear. A few thousand naira will be spent. A campaign T-shirt will eventually fade. But the consequences of electing incompetent leadership will remain with you long after the campaign has ended.”
The ADC presidential candidate also warned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used as agents of political violence, saying many politicians only remember them during election campaigns.
“They give you caps. They give you T-shirts. They give you a little money. They ask you to insult opponents, disrupt campaigns or intimidate voters. But immediately after the election, they disappear,” Atiku said.
He urged youths to demand leadership based on “ideas, character, competence and integrity” rather than personal loyalty or financial inducements.
Speaking on Nigeria’s democratic journey, Atiku said democracy should go beyond the conduct of elections and deliver meaningful improvements in the lives of citizens through stronger institutions, economic opportunities and accountable leadership.
He lamented the country’s rising insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship, arguing that many young Nigerians had been forced to abandon their dreams or seek opportunities abroad because of poor governance.
“I see graduates searching endlessly for jobs that do not exist. I see entrepreneurs spending more money on diesel than on expanding their businesses. I see brilliant young people leaving Nigeria, not because they have stopped loving their country, but because they no longer believe their country loves them back,” he said.
Atiku further encouraged young Nigerians to move beyond social media activism by registering to vote, participating in the electoral process and peacefully defending the integrity of elections.
“Hashtags do not count votes. Livestreams do not secure polling units. Tweets do not defend democracy. Only citizens do,” he stated.
The former vice president also urged Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions, insisting that competence, integrity and ideas should guide electoral choices in 2027.
According to him, the country’s future depends on citizens, particularly young people, choosing leaders capable of addressing insecurity, unemployment, poverty and other national challenges.
“I believe in the Nigerian youth. I believe in your intelligence. I believe in your creativity. I believe in your resilience. And I believe that if we work together, there is no obstacle too great for our nation to overcome,” Atiku said.
He concluded by calling on young Nigerians to organise peacefully, participate actively in the democratic process and build what he described as “a Nigeria that rewards enterprise instead of excuses” and offers equal opportunities to every citizen.