By Luminous Jannamike
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Saturday inaugurated state coordinators of the RiseUpNaija Movement, RUN, launching an ambitious drive to mobilise 20 million votes for his African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidacy ahead of the 2027 general election.
The launch marked one of the clearest signs yet that Atiku’s campaign is shifting from coalition-building to grassroots mobilisation, with the movement unveiling an aggressive strategy to build structures from the national level down to every polling unit across the country.
The RiseUpNaija Movement comprises young men and women drawn from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party, LP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP and other political platforms.
Addressing the leadership retreat in Abuja, Atiku urged young Nigerians to reject vote-buying, defend the electoral process and vote for competence, saying his presidential ambition was driven not by the privileges of office but by a desire to build a nation where leadership is accountable, institutions are strong and opportunities are available to all.
