ABUJA, Nigeria — A former political aide to Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Aliyu Bin Abbas, secured the presidential nomination of Nigeria’s Action Democratic Party for the 2027 general election at the party’s national convention in Abuja on May 30, 2026.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the candidate, Okpani Dickson, released the details of the vote in an official statement on Saturday. Okay News reports that Dickson stated the official election results were finalized at approximately 5:30 a.m. WAT after party delegates cast their ballots.
Dickson clarified that the campaign of Abbas, the founder of the National Youth Alliance, remains completely separate from his former employer, Abubakar, who is currently running for the presidency under the platform of the African Democratic Congress. The statement indicated that the professional association between Abbas and Abubakar concluded more than two years ago.
“For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify the distinct trajectory of this candidacy, Aliyu Bin Abbas steps into this race on his own merits and under a completely independent platform,” Dickson said. He said that the campaign “stands fully divorced from the influence of old political blocs, serving neither as a proxy movement nor a strategic alignment with past principals, but as a direct response to the yearning of millions of Nigerian youths seeking fresh, uncompromised leadership.”
Abbas said that his nomination marks the beginning of a broader movement for national transformation. “This milestone represents more than a political victory; it signifies the emergence of a new generation of leadership committed to national renewal, inclusive governance, economic transformation, and the empowerment of Nigerian youths,” Abbas said.
The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party, Yabagi Yusuf Sani, said that the convention verified the internal democratic practices of the political organisation. Sani said the gathered delegates maintained transparency, fairness, and order during the selection process.
