Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has asserted that he commands more electoral support in northern Nigeria than other prominent political figures in the region.
He made the claim during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, where he spoke about his political influence ahead of future elections.
Atiku said none of the current northern political heavyweights—including former Sokoto State governor and serving senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai—matches his level of electoral strength in the region.
“Can you tell me, among the current leaders in the north, who has more votes than I have?” he said.
Atiku argued that his “northern bloc vote” remains unmatched, insisting that his political base is stronger than those of other contenders.
“I mean, you are talking about figures like Tambuwal, you are talking about figures like Kwankwaso, and others, and el-Rufai, and also the emerging political figures. None of them has got that northern bloc vote as much as I have got,” he said.
While acknowledging Kwankwaso’s influence in Kano, Atiku noted that the state’s political support base is now divided.
“Well, the absence of it may affect, but even in his own case, you can see how Kano is now split between himself and his former governor,” he added.
The remarks come amid ongoing political realignments and growing speculation over alliances ahead of future elections, as key figures position themselves within Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
