I’ll Quit 2027 Presidential Race If Younger ADC Aspirant Defeats Me – Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will step down from the 2027 presidential race if a younger aspirant defeats him to clinch the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket.
Atiku made this known in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, stressing that he would not only accept such an outcome but also support and mentor the younger candidate.
“This is only the beginning. Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following,” he said.
He added, “If I run for office, and a young man defeats me, I will accept that. The party we have joined now prioritises youth and women.”
The former PDP presidential candidate dismissed speculations that he could later abandon the ADC, saying, “No, I’m not known for that. If I say so, then I’ll go that way. I am a man of one Qibla.”
Speaking on his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) infiltrated the opposition party with moles to frustrate internal resolution.
“The APC government in power has decided to use some party leaders to frustrate efforts of having a strong opposition that could challenge the government. As the day went by, the crises in PDP were growing, and the hope of resolving it was speedily vanishing because the government was allegedly using some senior members of the party to destabilise it further,” he said.
Atiku lamented that his advice to resolve the PDP crisis was ignored, saying, “I could have taken some firm decisions to fix the party if I were the chairman or secretary of the party, or someone who listened to me was the chairman or secretary. Sadly, the people occupying those positions have different interests that are primarily personal to them.”
On ADC’s preparedness for 2027, he explained that the party had completed its national structure and was now strengthening its state and local government organs.
“Regarding the ADC, our goal is to establish the party structures at the state level. We have already established the national leadership, and they are working on ensuring the state and local government structures are strengthened and ready for the 2027 elections,” Atiku said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
