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The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to turn out massively for the 2027 general elections and protect their votes, warning against attempts to manipulate the electoral process.
Atiku made the call on Wednesday in Sokoto while addressing supporters at the flag-off of the ADC presidential campaign in the state.
He alleged that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were moving from village to village in parts of northern Nigeria to buy voters’ cards in an attempt to influence the outcome of the elections.
The former Vice President warned that low voter turnout could create an opportunity for such alleged activities to give a false impression of the strength of opposition parties in the North.
“Let us come out and vote as if it were Judgment Day. Come out in large numbers, protect your votes and escort them until they are secured,” Atiku said.
He urged Nigerians to resist voter apathy and ensure that their votes were cast and protected until the final outcome was declared.
“If you fail to turn out in large numbers, people will go from village to village buying voters’ cards to create the impression that we do not have as many supporters as those in the South. Go out and cast your vote, and protect it,” he said.
Atiku and his entourage arrived in Sokoto at about 1 p.m. but reached the ADC State Secretariat, venue of the rally, around 4:30 p.m. following the large crowd that gathered to welcome them.
Explaining the choice of Sokoto for the campaign flag-off, Atiku said the state held significant historical and religious importance and represented peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different faiths.
“They said we would not come to Sokoto, but here we are. They said we would not hold the campaign rally, but we have come,” he said.
Atiku said his decision to begin the campaign in Sokoto was influenced by the state’s history and its place as a symbol of peace and peaceful coexistence.
He promised that an ADC-led Federal Government would tackle insecurity, reopen Nigeria’s land borders and make Hajj and Christian pilgrimages more affordable for citizens.
The ADC candidate also expressed sympathy with families who had lost loved ones in various attacks across the country.
He urged Nigerians to participate actively in the 2027 elections, describing voting as both a civic responsibility and a crucial means of determining the country’s future.
Earlier, the Sokoto State Coordinator of the ADC campaign, Senator Ibrahim Lamido, described Sokoto as a one-party state, claiming that the ADC enjoyed overwhelming support across the state.
Lamido urged party supporters to mobilise widely and vote for all ADC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
