Breaking: Kwankwaso Makes Lifetime Promise to Atiku If He Steps Down, Gives 2 Reasons
- Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, NDC vice-presidential candidate, publicly called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to step aside from the 2027 race
- Kwankwaso made the remarks while receiving members of the Fulani Farmers Association at his Abuja home
- The call comes after Atiku himself acknowledged in April 2026 that the 2027 election could be his final attempt at the presidency
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Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to abandon his bid for the 2027 presidency, arguing that the former vice-president's age and health make continued campaigning inadvisable.
Kwankwaso made the remarks on Thursday, September 10, while addressing members of the Fulani Farmers Association who paid him a visit at his Abuja residence. He directed his message not only at Atiku but also at those around the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, urging them to counsel him into stepping down and redirecting his energy towards traditional responsibilities.
Source: Twitter
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the ADC, will turn 80 by 2027. He acknowledged the significance of that milestone himself in April 2026, telling supporters that the election would most likely be his last attempt at clinching Nigeria's highest office.
Atiku's long road to the presidency
The former vice-president's pursuit of the presidency stretches back decades. He first entered the race in 1993 under the Social Democratic Party primaries, but withdrew in favour of the late Moshood Abiola.
He contested again in 2007 under the Action Congress, losing to the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, and again in 2011 under the Action Congress of Nigeria, when former President Goodluck Jonathan defeated him. After rejoining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku lost the 2019 election to former President Muhammadu Buhari and was again the PDP flag bearer in 2023, when President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) beat him to the office.
Throughout his political career, Atiku has championed restructuring, economic liberalisation and private sector-led growth as the pillars of his presidential vision.
Kwankwaso himself is on the 2027 ballot as the running mate to Peter Obi, who was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, weeks after resigning from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026.
Source: Facebook
Atiku says AUN built to address Almajiri crisis
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he founded AUN in Yola, not Abuja or Lagos, specifically to develop the North.
Atiku said he has already signed a deed of gift transferring ownership of AUN to the community, not his family.
AUN's programmes have reached over 20,000 displaced children and provided scholarships to survivors of Boko Haram.
Source: Legit.ng
