Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said Nigeria needs tested leadership, clarity of vision, and courage to tackle her socio-economic challenges.

Atiku, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, after appearing before Lyiel Imoke-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential screening committee on Wednesday, said the country does not need experiments as this defining moment in her national life.

The former vice president, who could not speak to journalists after appearing before the committee, explained in the statement that his economic blueprint is anchored on job creation, private sector expansion, fiscal discipline, stable macroeconomic management, and a renewed commitment to restoring Nigeria as a destination for serious investment and sustainable growth.

He that he presented his “economic rescue blueprint and comprehensive security action plan for a nation bleeding from economic distress and escalating insecurity” before the committee.

According to him, the exercise presented him with the opportunity to put forward his “pathway for rescuing Nigeria from the grip of economic stagnation, mass unemployment, institutional drift, and the horrifying insecurity that has left innocent citizens vulnerable to massacres, kidnappings, and terror attacks.”

The presidential aspirant stated that Nigeria cannot continue on the current trajectory, where families struggle daily under crushing hardship, businesses collapse under policy uncertainty, and investor confidence continues to erode in the absence of coherent economic leadership.

Atiku also expressed concern over the relentless bloodshed across the country, noting that no responsible government can stand by while citizens are slaughtered in their communities and others abducted on highways, farms, and even in their homes.

He explained that his security plan will prioritise intelligence-led operations, stronger inter-agency coordination, decentralised security architecture, and the political will to confront criminality without hesitation.

The former vice president reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to building a secure, united, and prosperous Nigeria where every citizen can live in peace and pursue opportunity with dignity.

Former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, also appeared before the screening committee.