A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Salihu Isa Nataro, has called for a presidential ticket pairing billionaire businessman Alhaji Aliko Dangote with Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti, as a pathway to restoring economic stability and driving industrial growth ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, October 5, Nataro said such a combination would deliver the kind of leadership required to tackle unemployment, reduce poverty, and promote nationwide industrialisation.

“If Dangote can step down as chairman of all his conglomerates, as he has already done with two companies, Nigerians will gladly support him to contest alongside Otti. Together, they can industrialise Nigeria within a short period,” Nataro declared.

APC loyalists, and pro-reformist of the public sector, contended that both men had proven themselves in the management of enterprise and governance, which was required to restore public trust and provide sustainable alternatives to Nigeria's economic challenges, in his opinion, Nigerian Tribune reported.

He cautioned that drug use and crime were being stoked by rampant unemployment and hunger among the youth, and expressed that only drastic economic reforms could check growing frustration in the country. "Economic impulses which will make the nation industrialized will cushion against the misuse of drugs among youth who are roaming the streets looking for what to steal," he added.

Nataro complimented Governor Otti for his "transparency and reform-oriented governance" in Abia State, as he framed it in terms of complying with international best practice. "Otti Governor is unique from the new generation of state governors because of how he approaches key issues of development in his state."

"His move to obtain low-interest credit facilities in the United Arab Emirates is a sign of farsightedness and responsibility," he added. He added further that he was sure an Otti presidency would strengthen Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies, such as the ICPC, EFCC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

While President Bola Tinubu received an award for efforts to stabilize the economy, Nataro explained that the scale of Nigeria's problems and what he termed "a lack of enthusiasm" by some of President Tinubu's appointees have hindered progress, Vanguard reported.

He challenged leaders to push Dangote into aspiring for greater office, referring to him as "a tested technocrat who can drive inclusive growth."

Nataro similarly supported equitable tax reforms but condemned what he referred to as "forceful collection of revenue" in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). "Generating revenue should not be achieved through coercion but in moderate quantities so as not to undermine the ease of doing business," he added.