Ukorebi Esien | August 26, 2026
CALABAR —As Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections, former federal lawmaker, political activist, and Gubernatorial Candidate for African Democratic Congress, ADC in Cross River State, Nkoyo Toyo, has highlighted the economic recovery agenda of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, describing it as an alternative pathway to rebuilding the Nigerian economy.
Toyo, speaking during the commencement of the ADC presidential campaign activities in Cross River State, said Atiku’s economic philosophy was anchored on moving Nigeria away from an import-dependent and consumption-driven economy towards production, manufacturing, job creation and exports.
According to her, sustainable economic recovery must not be achieved at the expense of ordinary Nigerians, stressing that government policies should ultimately translate into lower living costs, affordable energy, employment opportunities and improved purchasing power.
The ADC, in its position on Atiku’s economic recovery plan, said the country could not achieve sustainable prosperity by continually imposing the burden of economic adjustment on households, businesses and states.
A major component of the plan, according to the party, is the restructuring of Nigeria’s political and economic architecture through greater devolution of powers from the Federal Government to the states.
The party argued that restructuring should involve reducing the scope of federal powers, reviewing the Exclusive Legislative List, strengthening fiscal federalism and giving states greater responsibility and authority over resources and development.
It also advocated constitutional reforms and the devolution of appropriate security responsibilities, including the establishment of state police subject to professional standards, human-rights safeguards and independent oversight.
Toyo and the ADC maintained that greater allocations from Abuja should not be mistaken for fiscal federalism, arguing that genuine fiscal autonomy would require states to have the authority and responsibility to generate, control and invest their own resources.
On security, the party linked Nigeria’s insecurity to broader economic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, rural underdevelopment and the destruction of livelihoods.
It therefore proposed an approach that combines professional policing and intelligence gathering with economic opportunities that can reduce the vulnerability of communities to criminal networks.
The ADC also called for modern intelligence systems, forensic capacity, improved communications infrastructure, databases and stronger inter-agency coordination as part of a comprehensive security reform.
On fuel and energy, Toyo's presentation also touched on the possibility of leveraging Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity to reduce the burden of imported refined petroleum products.
She argued that the existence of local refineries could provide an opportunity for government to develop mechanisms that support domestic supply and cushion the impact of energy costs on Nigerians.
The party further said Atiku’s economic agenda would place emphasis on an economy that produces rather than merely consumes, while combining fiscal responsibility with social protection, investment with inclusion and economic growth with shared prosperity.
The ADC said the success of any economic policy should ultimately be measured by its impact on citizens, particularly through food and transport costs, energy affordability, jobs, stronger businesses and improved living standards.
It also framed the 2027 election as a choice between maintaining the existing direction and pursuing what it described as a fundamentally different approach to Nigeria’s economic, political and security challenges.
The party said Nigeria needed a federation that devolves power rather than concentrating it in Abuja, states with genuine fiscal autonomy, a security architecture based on intelligence and professional policing, and constitutional reforms capable of strengthening democratic accountability.
It added that leadership should be judged by integrity, transparency, experience, verifiable records and the ability of public institutions to withstand scrutiny.
The ADC ultimately argued that Nigeria requires a redistribution of wealth, power, responsibility and resources, rather than what it described as a mere redistribution of poverty and bureaucratic structures.
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