Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied reports suggesting he plans to step down ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting he remains fully committed to contesting for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket.
In a statement issued Thursday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku dismissed the claim as a misrepresentation of his recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.
“After a thorough review of both the video and transcripts of the interview – in the original Hausa and the English translation – it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President expressly state, suggest, or even imply that he intends to step down for anyone,” Ibe said.
According to the statement, Atiku merely reiterated his long-held stance that young Nigerians and other aspirants are free to contest, and that he would support any candidate who emerges through a credible and competitive primary process.
“While interpretative journalism is a legitimate aspect of reporting, stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable and must not be encouraged,” Ibe added.
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, weighed in on the matter via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, arguing that beating Atiku in any party primary would be extremely difficult.
“His Excellency, the Waziri, reportedly said he would step aside if a younger candidate wins the primaries. The keyword here is ‘primaries’. It’s easier for a camel to pass through the hole of a needle than to beat the Waziri in primaries. Party delegates are a special breed of people,” Sani wrote.
In the same BBC interview, Atiku also opened up about his inability to resolve the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prior to the 2023 general elections. He blamed the PDP’s leadership at the time, stating that he lacked the authority to enforce decisions because he was neither the party’s National Chairman nor National Secretary.
The PDP crisis, which began in 2022 during the buildup to the 2023 polls, eventually led Atiku and several other members to defect and join forces with the opposition coalition under the ADC.
Atiku also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of covertly sponsoring elements to undermine and destabilize the PDP from within.
