Senator Austin Akobundu, Director General of the African Democratic Congress and Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of making life increasingly expensive for Nigerians, promising that an Atiku led government would prioritise affordable living, job creation and economic relief.
Akobundu made the remarks on October 9, 2026, while delivering his acceptance speech at the inauguration of the ADC and Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
He said the campaign would focus on the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians, including rising food prices, high transport fares, expensive electricity, increasing school fees and the growing cost of running businesses.
Accepting his appointment as Director General of the campaign council, Akobundu said the position was more than a ceremonial responsibility, describing it as a call to lead a campaign centred on the concerns of Nigerians struggling to afford basic necessities.
He said parents were increasingly forced to choose between paying school fees and buying food, while workers watched their salaries disappear into transport costs and rent. He also highlighted the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs dealing with high diesel prices and rising operating expenses, as well as farmers struggling with insecurity and the cost of production.
According to him, the administration of the All Progressives Congress has repeatedly asked Nigerians to endure economic hardship, but many households have yet to experience meaningful relief.
Akobundu said the campaign would bring these concerns to the forefront and present what it described as a credible alternative to the current administration’s economic policies.
He conveyed Atiku’s campaign message in clear terms, saying Tinubu had made life expensive while Atiku intended to make it affordable again.
The ADC campaign director general acknowledged that the road ahead would be difficult, citing the possibility of misinformation, political pressure and attempts to distract the campaign from issues affecting ordinary citizens.
He also alleged that members of the party had faced intimidation and harassment through state agencies. He criticised what he described as hostile rhetoric from some APC leaders and warned against actions that could undermine political participation.
Akobundu declared that the ADC would resist intimidation and harassment, insisting that the campaign would respond through discipline, lawful engagement and a credible presentation of its policies.
He pledged to work closely with the party’s national leadership, campaign advisers, policy teams and other stakeholders to build an inclusive campaign aimed at securing public confidence and winning the 2027 presidential election.
He identified the campaign’s objective as the election of Atiku Abubakar as president and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as vice president on May 29, 2027.
Akobundu acknowledged the contributions of the ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and founding leader Ralph Nwosu, alongside members of the party’s National Working Committee, National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees.
He also commended the chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Kashim Ibrahim Imam, and the chairman of the Campaign Advisory Board, John Oyegun, for their commitment to the campaign.
The speech also addressed the absence of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai, whom Akobundu identified as the deputy chairman of the campaign council. He attributed the absence to what he described as oppressive actions by the current administration and alleged that state institutions were being used against political opponents.
Akobundu criticised El Rufai’s reported incarceration, describing it as an affront to the rule of law and evidence, in his view, of shrinking democratic space. He called for an end to what he characterised as political persecution.
Outlining the campaign’s economic priorities, Akobundu said an Atiku administration would focus on reducing the cost of food, transportation and electricity while improving access to education, healthcare and employment.
He argued that economic progress should be measured by improvements in household living standards rather than government statistics and budget figures alone.
A major proposal presented in the speech is the introduction of a targeted and budgeted production subsidy for fuel refined in Nigeria from the first day of an Atiku administration.
Akobundu said the proposed policy would support local refining, reduce dependence on imported finished petroleum products and ease the pressure of fuel costs on transportation, food prices and businesses.
He explained that reducing fuel and transport expenses could help bring food closer to consumers, lower production costs and enable businesses to remain operational, retain workers and serve customers at more affordable prices.
Education is another major component of the proposed economic agenda. Akobundu said Atiku would review the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, known as NELFUND, pursue student debt forgiveness and make education more accessible and affordable.
He argued that families should not have to sacrifice basic necessities to finance their children’s education, adding that government policies should help young people acquire the skills needed to build sustainable futures.
On agriculture, Akobundu said the proposed administration would prioritise the security of farmlands, improve access to credit for farmers and reopen land borders for legitimate cross border trade.
He said the campaign would also support increased agricultural production and stronger local processing capacity to improve food availability and affordability.
The speech further identified electricity supply as a major challenge facing businesses and manufacturers. Akobundu said an Atiku government would reform the power sector to make electricity more reliable and affordable.
He maintained that improved power supply would reduce dependence on costly alternative energy sources, increase production, create employment and help businesses lower the prices of goods and services.
Akobundu also stressed the importance of restoring the Eastern maritime port corridor to full operational capacity, arguing that an efficient port network would reduce freight expenses and transit times while improving access to international markets for importers, exporters and manufacturers.
On governance, he said Atiku would implement the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy to ensure that funds meant for local councils reached them.
He added that the proposed administration would pursue devolution of powers and review the Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists to give state and local governments greater capacity to address the needs of their communities while allowing the Federal Government to concentrate on national priorities.
Workers facing rising transportation costs also featured prominently in the address. Akobundu said the campaign intended to make workers’ welfare a priority and address the growing difficulty of commuting to work because of the cost of essential services.
He criticised what he described as irregular budget implementation, arguing that delayed spending prevented government agencies from delivering services and left contractors unpaid.
He said public funds must translate into visible benefits for citizens and pledged that an Atiku administration would seek to ensure that budgets were implemented within their designated financial years.
The proposed agenda also includes an overhaul of the health sector and the establishment of a transparent financing programme to support start ups and entrepreneurship among young people and women.
Akobundu said young Nigerians with viable business ideas should have access to funding that would enable them to expand their businesses, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
He argued that delivering these promises would require political experience, strong leadership and the ability to unite different groups around a common national objective.
Describing Atiku as an experienced administrator, a compassionate statesman and a unifying leader, Akobundu said he accepted the campaign appointment because he believed the former vice president could lead a government that placed the welfare of Nigerians at the centre of public policy.
He added that the campaign council’s leaders and members had assured him of their commitment to the task ahead.
Akobundu pledged that the campaign would remain open to ideas, inclusive in its operations and focused on engaging Nigerians through lawful political activities.
He said the council would listen to citizens, explain its economic proposals and defend their right to choose their preferred leaders.
Concluding his address, Akobundu expressed confidence that Atiku would emerge as Nigeria’s next president, attributing that expectation to divine grace and the will of the Nigerian people.
He welcomed supporters to what he described as a new era of affordable living and called for renewed support for the African Democratic Congress.
The inauguration marked the formal presentation of Akobundu’s leadership role in the ADC and Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gathered momentum.
The economic proposals outlined in his speech place the cost of living, local production, food security, education, electricity, healthcare, employment and decentralised governance at the centre of the campaign’s message.
The extent to which these proposals could be implemented would depend on the campaign’s detailed policy framework, available public finances and the political and legislative processes required to translate its promises into government action.
