A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and the President of ECK Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Dr. Idika Kalu has decried the state of the nation, saying Nigeria is already in the regime of failed leadership.

He said Nigerians must rise up to take back the nation from the abyss of bad governance.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the PDP chieftain believes only the former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, could take the country out of the economic doldrums.

Kalu in a statement he personally signed, regretted that the country’s economy was decaying at an alarming rate.

He said the present government has proved it is incapable of arresting the trend.

Kalu declared that Atiku remained a rational game changer, an intelligent figure, with commendable scorecards in leadership performance and achievements that could save the country and the economy from total collapse.

He therefore urged the electorate and political leaders to embrace the politician to change the current sordid narrative.

Kalu also challenged Nigerians to stop giving support to corrupt politicians for self-gains, urging them to support selfless, capable, trusted and competent hands like Atiku to return the country to its former envious position.

He said: “The sorry state of our economy must remind all Nigerians that we are already in the regime of failed leadership. The heights of hunger, cost of living, naira value depreciation, insecurity, nepotism, treasury looting, tariff hike, unemployment and other prebendary characters have drastically taken us backward with no hope of recovery except the citizens with their lawful mantles of civic rights rise by supporting a fair and competent political leadership come 2027.

“When it comes to leadership, especially one charged with the responsibility of presiding over a nation of over 200 million citizens, it takes a man of rapt wisdom, character nicety, sound education, articulate reasoning and that of detribalised instincts to be able to mount the podium of power and govern in accordance with the people’s expectations.

“Without doubts, it takes a brain and silent achiever like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to have Nigeria’s decaying economy returned to life.”

He lamented that electoral mal-practices had continued to rob Atiku from taking the leadership position in the country, insisting that he had always had the popular support of Nigerians.