Atiku launches youth voter drive, targets 20 million votes for 2027

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has set in motion a youth mobilization drive across Nigeria. In Abuja on Saturday, he inaugurated state coordinators for the RiseUpNaija Movement, partnering with political ally Kashim Ibrahim-Imam and ADC founding National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu.

The effort targets 20 million votes for the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate. During the RUN leadership retreat, Atiku addressed hundreds of young Nigerians, clarifying that his presidential pursuit reflects not a hunger for office privileges but rather a vision for transforming Nigeria.

He described his goal as creating a state marked by accountable governance, robust institutions, widespread economic opportunity, and equitable chances for every person irrespective of their origins. Atiku called on voters to spurn vote-buying practices, resist selling their ballots, and safeguard the sanctity of elections.

Central to the campaign strategy is an emphasis on competence and character as criteria for electoral decisions, pushing back against what Atiku termed transactional approaches involving material rewards. Young voter mobilization constitutes a pillar of democratic strength, according to his framing, with RiseUpNaija serving as a vehicle to direct youthful engagement toward principled voting behavior.

The 20-million-vote objective indicates ambitious organizational reach across Nigeria's states and local government areas. Reports from multiple outlets documented the coordinator inauguration and the numerical target for mobilization; however, they lacked specifics regarding recruitment schedules, financial deployment, or granular campaign mechanics beyond the core emphasis on integrity-centered voting.