Economic recovery, restructuring, security and institutional reforms have been highlighted as priority areas as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) begins its 2027 presidential campaign using its manifesto as a framework.

The National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, told The Guardian that the manifesto, which the ADC administration would prioritise if elected, is a framework to address what he called Nigeria’s major challenges, including insecurity, rising living costs, limited economic opportunities and weak adherence to the rule of law.

In the meantime, Accord Party (AP) chieftain, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned that the spread of terrorism and banditry across parts of Northern Nigeria poses a serious threat to the country’s territorial integrity.

Speaking on a television programme, Hashim alleged that over 30,000 lives had been lost to terrorism under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, and that armed groups had established influence over rural communities across 17 of the 19 northern states.

He also alleged that terrorists and bandits were exercising parallel authority in some communities, including collecting taxes from residents, stating that this development requires a fundamental rethink of Nigeria’s internal security architecture.

Therefore, he proposed a national guard to confront insurgency and other major internal security threats, arguing that the force would complement rather than replace the military and police.

Meanwhile, Abdullahi said the ADC would seek to reduce the cost of governance while ensuring that reforms did not impose additional hardship on citizens.

He added that improved public financial management, simpler taxation, greater transparency in spending, and a reduction in non-essential government expenditure are a part of the party’s economic strategy.

According to him, the party will also pursue measures to boost food production, address transportation and energy bottlenecks, strengthen industrial production and create conditions for businesses and technology-driven enterprises to expand.

The ADC explained that the broader objective of these measures is to move the economy away from dependence on government spending, focusing it on production, investment and job creation.

To achieve this, the ADC will restructure the federation to give states greater responsibilities and reduce the concentration of powers at the centre, Abdullahi said.

He added that the party would give greater state participation in policing and other areas currently being dominated by the federal government, including the development of their natural resources.

Such devolution of roles, he explained, would enable states to respond more directly to their economic and security needs while making the federation more productive.

Among others, the ADC said it favours a multi-level approach to security, involving community intelligence, state policing, federal coordination and cooperation with neighbouring countries, while reforms will entail better recruitment, improved training and equipment, among others.