- Mohammed Hayatudeen had said zoning debates distracted from insecurity and economic hardship
- He had linked rising poverty and violence to long-term economic mismanagement
- He had called for leadership based on competence, not regional considerations
A presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Mohammed Hayatudeen, had argued that the ongoing national conversation around zoning was diverting attention from Nigeria’s more pressing challenges, including insecurity, economic hardship and unemployment.
Speaking on the Political Paradigm programme on Channels Television, Hayatudeen said the debate over political zoning had little relevance when measured against the scale of the country’s current crises. He insisted that Nigerians should instead focus on issues threatening national stability and daily survival.
He cited recent incidents of mass abductions and killings to underline his point, questioning the relevance of zoning in the face of widespread insecurity.
“Last week, 416 people were abducted and threatened with execution. What has that got to do with zoning?” he asked during the interview, stressing that the nation’s priorities had been misplaced.
Hayatudeen also referenced worsening living conditions, pointing to rising food insecurity, unemployment and limited access to education as evidence of systemic failure. He argued that leadership selection should be based on competence, character and empathy rather than regional considerations.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from. What matters is that you have the capacity, the skill, the vision and the deep empathy to deliver for every single Nigerian,” he said.
The ADC aspirant further linked Nigeria’s escalating insecurity to long-standing economic mismanagement. He stated that poverty levels had increased significantly over the past two decades, contributing to social instability and violence across the country.
According to him, approximately 110 million Nigerians were currently living below the poverty line, a situation he described as unsustainable.
“I am a numbers guy. The evidence does not support that narrative,” he said, rejecting claims that insecurity was purely politically driven ahead of elections.
Hayatudeen, who was previously an aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said his decision to align with the ADC was based on shared values and policy direction. He praised the party’s leadership and manifesto, stating that it reflected the urgent needs of ordinary Nigerians.
He also warned about what he described as shrinking democratic space in the country, alleging that political participation was being constrained through state influence and indirect control.
“What the government has done is to muzzle the political space, making it impossible for Nigerians to exercise genuine freedom of choice,” he said.