An African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has challenged fellow aspirants, including Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, to publicly commit to the party’s governance principles and code of ethics, known as the Orange Book.
Hayatu-Deen, in posts shared on his social media handles on Friday, described the Orange Book as a landmark ethical framework in contemporary Nigerian politics.
The presidential aspirant, who was recently screened, said a major highlight of the exercise was the distribution of the Orange Book to aspirants.
He said all presidential and governorship aspirants were required to study the document and affirm commitment to its guiding principles before participating in the process officially.
Hayatu-Deen said that the document represented a binding covenant rejecting self-serving politics, while placing service to Nigerians at the centre of leadership and public office.
“The Orange Book is not a slogan. It declares that public office is not for self-enrichment, personal glory or political entitlement, but service,” he said.
According to him, aspirants seeking the party’s mandate must embrace integrity, accountability, transparency, merit and discipline, and reject corruption, vote-buying, and god-fatherism completely.
He disclosed that two provisions particularly resonated with him, including leadership measured through enduring, people-centred impact and recognition of leaders as public servants only.
“These are not ordinary political declarations. They are standards every leader, irrespective of political affiliation, should willingly uphold in the interest of Nigerians,” he added
The economist-turned politician affirmed his commitment to upholding the code of ethics, urging other aspirants to declare, without reservation, their willingness to abide by the ethical standards outlined in the document.
He argued that Nigeria’s crisis extended beyond insecurity and economic hardship, stating that the country also faced leadership, accountability and public trust challenges.
“Nigeria needs a new political culture rooted in service, competence, responsibility and moral courage. We must begin by changing that culture now,” he stated.
