Atiku Clarifies Statement on Stepping Down in 2027 Presidential Race: "Inaccurate"
- Atiku Abubakar rejects reports suggesting he has stepped down from the 2027 presidential race, saying his BBC Hausa interview was misrepresented
- His spokesman insists Atiku only said it was not yet time to declare, adding that he will respect any primary outcome
- The former Vice President remains committed to the ADC coalition and criticises President Tinubu’s policies as harmful to ordinary Nigerians
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied reports that he plans to abandon his ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election, insisting he has not taken any such decision.
The clarification came after sections of the media claimed that Atiku had told the BBC Hausa Service he was ready to step aside for a younger candidate.
Source: Facebook
Atiku refutes claims of 2027 withdrawal
The report triggered widespread debate, with some political commentators interpreting it as a sign that the Waziri Adamawa had finally closed the door on his long-running pursuit of the presidency.
His spokesman, Paul Ibe, dismissed the reports as misleading. He said Atiku never declared an intention to quit but simply maintained that it was “not yet time” to formally announce his candidacy.
“It has become necessary to clarify misrepresentations arising from the reportage of an interview granted by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, to the BBC Hausa Service by some sections of the media,” Ibe explained.
“After a thorough review of both the video and transcripts, it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President expressly state or imply that he intends to step down for anyone.”
Atiku, in the interview, had said that he would support any younger aspirant who defeats him in a competitive primary, but his media team insists that this was twisted out of context.
“While interpretative journalism is legitimate, stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable,” Ibe said.
ADC coalition gathers strength ahead 2027
The former Vice President’s camp also stressed that he remains firmly committed to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, which now brings together several major political figures including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir el-Rufai.
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According to Ibe, Atiku’s resignation from the PDP is “irreversible” and his focus is on strengthening the coalition ahead of 2027.
On the issue of zoning, Ibe argued that Nigerians are more concerned with competence than region.
“The internal polls we have done show Nigerians don’t care where the next president comes from. They want someone with the right skills, not tribe or tongue,” he said.
He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of enriching the elite while ordinary Nigerians struggle to survive.
“Average Nigerians cannot be asked to tighten their belts while leaders live in affluence and steal the country blind,” he said.
Ibe described Atiku as a consistent democrat who has always subjected himself to party primaries and is prepared to do so again.
“When the time is right, he will declare. Until then, the work is about building structures and ensuring the platform is strong enough to win,” he said.
Atiku attacks Tinubu government
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that in his Independence Day address, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar issued one of the strongest messages, lamenting what he described as a worsening state of the nation under the present administration.
He said millions of Nigerians had been reduced to “refugees and beggars in their fatherland” despite the country’s abundance of human and material resources. Atiku accused the Tinubu-led government of abandoning its citizens in the face of hunger and insecurity.
Source: Legit.ng
