By Damilare Adeleye
The former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and renowned economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has officially declared his intention to seek the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE TV on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Hayatu-Deen described Nigeria as a nation “running out of oxygen,” citing the crushing impact of food inflation, petrol price hikes, and a weakening Naira.
The former banker, who also led the Transition Committee on the Economy for the Buhari administration, warned that the country is showing signs of a dangerous “class struggle” due to the disconnect between government policy and the daily hardships of citizens.
Hayatu-Deen emphasized that his move to the ADC followed a careful study of the political landscape, describing his former party, the PDP, as a “sinking ship.”
He pledged to offer a “practical and credible alternative” focused on economic stabilization and security, asserting that he has already nurtured a nationwide political structure and conducted domestic and international polls that favor his background of competence.
Hayatu-Deen’s entry into the ADC marks a significant shift in the 2027 pre-election cycle, signaling the rise of the “Technocratic Alternative.” As the Tinubu administration grapples with the fallout of the “diesel economy” collapse and grid instability, Hayatu-Deen is positioning himself as the “calm and steady leader” who can fix systems rather than just play politics.
His background with the NESG, a group that has long advocated for the very market reforms the current government is struggling to implement, gives him a unique platform to critique the execution of these policies without necessarily opposing the principles.
By choosing the ADC, a party that has traditionally positioned itself as a “third force,” Hayatu-Deen is attempting to capture the “middle-class and intellectual” vote that feels alienated by the two major parties.
His warning about a “class struggle” reflects a growing concern among Nigeria’s elite that the current economic pressure on the masses could lead to systemic instability.
For the ADC, having a candidate with Hayatu-Deen’s institutional weight provides a level of financial and policy credibility that could make the party a serious contender in what is shaping up to be a highly polarized 2027 contest.