‎‎Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday urged Nigerian youths not to sell their votes, warning that doing so would mortgage their future and deny them the opportunity to elect competent leaders.

‎Atiku spoke at the inauguration of state coordinators of the Rise Up Naija Movement (RUN), a youth initiative of the ADC, during the movement’s leadership retreat held in Abuja.

‎Addressing participants, the former Vice President said young Nigerians constitute the country’s largest voting population and must reject vote buying, political violence and divisive politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

‎”Your vote is far more valuable than any amount of money a politician can offer. Do not exchange four years of your future for one afternoon of inducement,” Atiku 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,” he said.

‎He added that selling votes meant surrendering opportunities for better schools, hospitals, jobs, electricity, security and accountable governance.

‎“When you sell your vote, you are not merely exchanging a ballot paper. You are surrendering opportunities that belong to your generation,” he said.

‎The ADC presidential candidate urged youths to reject politicians who recruit them to intimidate opponents or disrupt elections.

‎“The greatest service you can render any politician is not fighting for him. It is insisting that he earns your vote through ideas, character, competence and integrity,” Atiku said.

‎He challenged young Nigerians to transform their influence on social media into active political participation by registering to vote, volunteering during elections, serving as polling agents and peacefully defending the electoral process.

‎“Hashtags do not count votes. Livestreams do not secure polling units. Tweets do not defend democracy. Only citizens do,” he said.

‎Atiku also appealed to youths to reject ethnic and religious divisions, insisting that Nigerians share common economic and social challenges regardless of their backgrounds.

‎“In 2027, let us vote for competence. Let us vote for character. Let us vote for ideas. Let us vote for the future,” he said.

‎The former vice president described young Nigerians as the country’s greatest asset and urged them to become “builders of a new Nigeria” by mobilising eligible voters, educating first-time voters and rejecting vote buying and electoral violence.

‎He said Nigeria’s future would be decided not in government offices but in communities, schools, workplaces and polling units by citizens determined to defend democracy.

‎“The future is not something we inherit. The future is something we build,” Atiku said, urging the youths to “rise, rebuild and renew the promise of Nigeria.”

‎Chairman of the Rise Up Naija Coordinating Council, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, said the movement was established to restore citizens’ confidence in democracy and mobilise Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

‎Yakasai said the movement, which started from a small gathering in the residence of its founder, Kashim Imam, had expanded to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

‎He said the retreat was aimed at strengthening the movement’s structures from the national level down to polling units across the country.

‎“Our responsibility is very clear. We must build an organisation that is active not only at the national level but in every state, every local government, every ward, and ultimately every polling unit across Nigeria,” he said.

‎According to him, the grassroots structures would become “one of the greatest assets” to the ADC and Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid in 2027.

‎Yakasai said the movement’s support for Atiku was based on “principle, not personality,” arguing that Nigeria needed competent leadership, economic recovery, national unity and improved security.

‎He urged members to build trust in their communities, recruit credible Nigerians into the movement and work closely with the ADC to achieve its objectives.

‎In his remarks, the Convener of Rise Up Naija Movement, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, challenged state coordinators to intensify membership registration and establish structures across the country.

‎He announced a competition among states, promising a special prize for the state that records the highest membership within one month.

‎“We must have a presence in every polling unit. Our target is to have at least 100 members in every polling unit,” Imam said.

‎He noted that with about 176,000 polling units nationwide, achieving the target would produce at least 17.6 million registered members for the movement.

‎Imam said Adamawa currently ranked first in membership registration and encouraged other states to surpass it.

‎He also formally inaugurated the state coordinators of the movement, declaring: “On the authority of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, the incoming President, it is my honour and privilege to inaugurate the State Coordinators for the Rise Up Naija Movement.”

‎The event drew leaders of the ADC, members of the Rise Up Naija National Coordinating Council and state coordinators from across the federation as the movement intensified mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections. (Daily Trust)

Update news