By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has warned that worsening unemployment, insecurity, and the rising cost of living are depriving young Nigerians of their future, urging youths to mobilise ahead of the party’s presidential primary scheduled for May 25.
Speaking at a youth townhall held at Novare Mall in Abuja on Thursday, Hayatu-Deen described the 2027 election as a defining moment for a new generation determined to reject what he termed “recycled politics and recycled promises.”
Addressing hundreds of young participants, the economist and former chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) argued that years of poor governance and inadequate planning had failed Nigerian youths.
“Two-thirds of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 35. So whenever politicians talk about Nigeria’s future, they are talking about young Nigerians. The painful truth is that the future of young Nigerians is being stolen,” he said.
Hayatu-Deen lamented that millions of Nigerian children remain out of school while graduates continue to struggle with unemployment, insisting that leadership failure rather than lack of talent remains the country’s biggest challenge.
“The problem has never been young Nigerians. The problem has been leadership that failed to plan, failed to invest, and normalised suffering,” he said.
The presidential hopeful, who recently completed the ADC screening process, challenged his party to field what he described as a fresh candidate capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and restoring public confidence in governance.
“The ADC will decide whether it is serious about winning and whether it is ready to present a candidate who understands the pain Nigerians are living through every day,” he stated.
Hayatu-Deen outlined elements of his economic and security agenda, including a proposal to guarantee 100 days of public work annually for eligible low-income Nigerians and provide tax incentives for businesses employing workers verified through the National Identification Number system.
According to him, job creation must be treated as both an economic and security priority.
“Jobs are not just economic policy; jobs are security policy. Every young Nigerian with a job is one less recruit for crime, extremism, banditry, and violence,” he said.
Speaking on insecurity, Hayatu-Deen disclosed that his family had personally experienced kidnapping, revealing that his sister was abducted and held captive for three years.
“My own sister was abducted and held for three years. So when I say this issue is personal to me, I mean it in a way very few people in public life can understand,” he said.
He pledged that if elected president, his administration would immediately designate bandit groups and kidnapping syndicates as terrorist organisations, intensify efforts against their financiers, and strengthen regional security cooperation.
“These are not second-term promises. These are Day One priorities,” he said.
Hayatu-Deen also described the ADC as a party founded around citizen welfare but warned against repeating what he called “old politics.”
“The only way to defeat a fatigued APC is with a fresh candidate. I am that candidate. I carry no baggage and owe no political godfathers,” he added.
He concluded by urging young Nigerians and ADC delegates to support leadership focused on jobs, security, and economic recovery.
“Vote for jobs. Vote for safer communities. Vote for leadership with discipline, calmness, and competence. Vote for a Nigeria that finally puts its young people first,” Hayatu-Deen said.
2027: Your future stolen, Hayatu-Deen tells Nigerian youths
