Atiku's 2027 Promise: A Bold Bid to Restore ECOWAS Unity

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has outlined his key policy proposals and criticisms of the current administration ahead of Nigeria's 2027 presidential election. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Atiku pledged to work towards reinstating Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) if elected president. He also committed to deploying the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to enhance regional security and combat terrorism across West Africa.

Atiku strongly criticized ECOWAS's approach to the three Sahelian nations following military coups, arguing that isolating them was a mistake. He emphasized the necessity for dialogue and stronger regional cooperation, stating, "I will get the ECOWAS leaders to sit down and deliberate, and we will use ECOMOG troops to ensure peace." He attributed the deteriorating relations between ECOWAS and these countries, in part, to President Bola Tinubu's stance when he chaired the regional bloc during Niger’s 2023 military coup. Atiku maintained that Nigeria should not have ceased engagement with Niger, given the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations, and opposed the expulsion of any member state due to a military takeover. Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso subsequently withdrew from ECOWAS after the bloc threatened military intervention in Niger and demanded the restoration of constitutional rule, leading them to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to bolster their political and security cooperation outside ECOWAS.

Addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges, which include insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping, particularly in the North-East and North-West, Atiku vowed to tackle insecurity within one year of assuming office. His plan involves a significant increase in the number of security personnel, providing them with adequate equipment, and creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians. He stressed that stronger regional cooperation among West African countries would also be crucial in effectively addressing the security issues confronting Nigeria and its neighbours.

Economically, Atiku lambasted the Tinubu administration's removal of the petrol subsidy, identifying it as a primary cause of widespread economic hardship, poverty, and unemployment among Nigerians. While acknowledging the potential necessity of subsidy reform, he insisted that it should be implemented gradually, only after robust measures are in place to cushion its impact on vulnerable citizens. "People are suffering; there is poverty and unemployment. The removal of the fuel subsidy is the major cause of this," he stated, adding, "I have never seen Nigerians suffer as much as they are suffering at this time." He clarified that his specific approach to fuel subsidy would be contingent on the economic conditions at the time he assumes office, but reiterated the principle of gradual removal coupled with poverty alleviation. President Tinubu had announced the immediate removal of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, a policy that led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and associated living costs, though the Federal Government has defended the decision by citing the redirection of subsidy funds towards infrastructure and social intervention programs.

Atiku Abubakar, 79, is seeking the Nigerian presidency for the sixth time, having previously contested in 2007, 2019, and 2023, and having failed to secure his party’s ticket in 2011 and 2015. He served as Vice-President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007 and was instrumental in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999. The upcoming 2027 presidential election is anticipated to feature another significant contest between Atiku and President Tinubu, who is expected to seek re-election.