Nigeria faces a deepening security crisis that threatens economic collapse. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, a presidential aspirant for the African Democratic Congress, made this stark warning at a party townhall in Abuja on Sunday.
Hayatu-Deen told ADC delegates that Monday's primary would define the party's future. He said the vote wasn't merely about picking a candidate—it was about whether the party could rescue Nigeria.
"Monday is about determining whether the ADC is truly serious about rescuing Nigeria," he said. The primary takes place in two days, he noted.
He painted a grim picture of the North Central region. Farming communities face relentless attacks, residents have been displaced, and economic hardship grips Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi states.
According to Hayatu-Deen, the region that feeds Nigeria is bleeding. "A nation cannot prosper when the region that feeds it is bleeding," he stated bluntly.
His personal experience shaped his views on security. His sister was kidnapped and held captive for three years in Borno State, he revealed.
Under his leadership, security would become a core government duty. It would stop being treated as a political slogan, he promised.
Hayatu-Deen rejected what he called the "carousel" of familiar faces. Nigeria needed fresh leadership untainted by decades of politics, he argued.
"I carry no political baggage. I owe no godfathers," he told the crowd.
He said he brings experience, integrity, and a recovery plan instead.
He linked insecurity directly to economic collapse. His plan targets job creation, agro-processing zones, youth employment, and women empowerment in affected areas.
Hayatu-Deen also defended political party autonomy. He backed a Federal High Court ruling that stopped INEC from controlling internal party processes.
"INEC should not dictate the internal democratic processes of political parties," he noted. Democratic institutions must stay truly independent, he added.
He called on ADC delegates to choose a unifying candidate. Failure to do so meant four more years of hardship ahead.
"Four more years of economic hardship, rising insecurity, deepening poverty, and growing hopelessness," he warned party members. Only the right choice could prevent this outcome.
