Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he will withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if a younger, vibrant, and widely acceptable candidate emerges as the flagbearer of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku made the declaration in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday as part of events to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. He stressed that his ambition was not driven by desperation for power but by a desire to “rescue Nigeria from those who have held it hostage.”
“Being in the 2027 presidential race does not stop anyone from participating. I encourage the youths to join the race to rescue Nigeria, and I will give them maximum support and guidance that could result in success,” he said.
The former Vice President blamed the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for his defection, alleging that the ruling APC used some PDP leaders to frustrate efforts at building a strong opposition.
“As the days went by, the crisis in PDP grew, and the hope of resolving it quickly vanished because some senior members were allegedly being used by the government to destabilise the party,” Atiku claimed.
He explained that the ADC was formed to build an alternative platform and that work was ongoing to strengthen party structures across states and local governments ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reflecting on the country’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Atiku lamented that Nigeria has not lived up to the dreams of its founding fathers. He challenged the federal government to address the nation’s economic and political crises, accusing President Bola Tinubu of worsening poverty with the unplanned removal of fuel subsidy in 2023.
“When I was Vice President, we proposed that fuel subsidy be removed in four phases, engaging stakeholders including labour unions. But Tinubu’s decision to remove it fully without a cushioning plan has brought unprecedented pain, suffering, and poverty,” he stated.
Atiku insisted that subsidy removal should never be carried out at once, warning that such abrupt decisions only deepen hardship for the masses.
