* Unveils ‘Adamawa Rising Agenda’ for prosperity, security and shared opportunity
Daji Sani in Yola
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Adamawa State, Ahmed Galadima Aminu, on Tuesday formally flagged off his 2027 electioneering with a call for a new politics of purpose focused on productivity, inclusion and security.
Addressing journalists and party stakeholders at a news conference in Yobi Hall, Yola, Aminu said he was beginning the journey with the media because of its critical role in informing citizens and holding public office seekers accountable.
He described the event as the start of a conversation about the present and future of Adamawa.
“I therefore come before you today not simply to announce a political ambition, but to begin a conversation. A conversation about where Adamawa is today, where we want it to be tomorrow, and the kind of leadership required to take us there,” he said.
Aminu acknowledged the weight of seeking public trust, stating that asking for the mandate to govern is a request for confidence, trust and the opportunity to serve.
He said he makes the declaration with both humility and conviction.
The APC candidate noted that Adamawa has made significant investments in roads, institutions and infrastructure in recent years.
However, he said the next chapter must focus on converting those assets into economic value for citizens, adding: “How do we turn roads into economic corridors? How do we turn infrastructure into productivity?”
To answer those questions, Aminu presented ‘The Adamawa Rising Agenda’ as his vision for what he called the second transformation of the state.
He said the agenda will build on existing achievements, consolidate what works, improve weak areas, provide the needed infrastructure and open the state’s economy for lasting prosperity.
A key principle of the agenda, he stressed, is continuity. “Responsible government does not start by pretending that everything that came before it was wrong,” Aminu said, pledging to preserve policies that work, consolidate strengthened institutions, maintain existing infrastructure, and confront weaknesses without sentiment.
On the economy, Aminu said the focus must shift from government-led development to citizen-led prosperity, as he proposed moving the state from dependence on public spending and federal allocation to an economy driven by production, enterprise, investment and innovation, with infrastructure designed to unlock private enterprise.
Agriculture will be the engine of the transformation, according to the candidate, as he outlined plans for agro-industrial hubs across the three senatorial zones, expansion of irrigation, mechanization, storage and processing, and stronger value chains for rice, maize, groundnut, cotton, soybeans, sesame, cassava and livestock.
He added that producing more food must not create more land conflicts.
Aminu also said Adamawa must leverage its solid mineral resources including limestone, baryte, gemstones, coal, tin and lead-zinc, promising responsible investment, local processing, and support for artisanal mining, but with strict obligations for environmental protection and benefits for host communities.
On financing, he said government cannot fund everything directly, adding that the plan is to use public resources strategically to attract private sector investment and support from partners such as the African Development Bank, World Bank and Islamic Development Bank.
He also promised a leaner government, public-private partnerships and phased implementation of projects.
Security, Aminu said, is the foundation of prosperity, as he proposed a coordinated framework involving government, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, and communities.
He also linked security to opportunity, promising skills, jobs and enterprise for young people to reduce vulnerability to crime and extremism.
The candidate dedicated a significant portion of his address to youth, women and inclusion, pledging technical and vocational education, innovation hubs, support for women-owned businesses, girl-child education, and programmes for persons with disabilities and vulnerable citizens.
“No community, no creed and no corner of Adamawa will be left behind,” he said.
In education and health, Aminu promised to strengthen schools, teacher training and technology use, as well as primary and secondary healthcare, maternal and child health, and access to specialist services.
He also committed to measurable governance through a Governor’s Delivery Unit, open budgeting, independent audits and an Annual Citizens’ Accountability Forum.
Aminu and his running mate, Hon. Adamu Kamale, formally launched the 2027 campaign.
He urged voters to judge candidates by plan, competence and performance, not personality, adding: “Together, let us move from potential to productivity, from productivity to prosperity, and from prosperity to dignity. Together, let us make Adamawa rise.”