Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, insisting that no aspirant within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will be asked to step down ahead of the polls.
The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate made this clear in a statement released on Tuesday through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, amid rumors that he was facing pressure to withdraw in favor of a Southern candidate to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Atiku emphasized that all qualified aspirants would “present themselves freely” when the party begins its selection process, rejecting any notion of coercion.
“Predictably, agents aligned with the presidency are attempting to destabilize the ADC from outside, issuing reckless advice about its internal affairs, particularly regarding the choice of a presidential candidate,” the statement said.
He added, “Let it be stated plainly: the ADC is on a national rescue mission. I, alongside other committed patriots, am central to this effort. Any call—overt or covert—for me to step aside is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people.”
Atiku stressed that the party remains committed to “an open, transparent, and competitive process” for selecting its flagbearer and is welcoming all genuine opposition figures. He underscored that “inclusiveness—not coercion—is the soul of democracy.”
The former vice president accused the Tinubu administration of deliberately weakening opposition parties, describing the current political landscape as a creeping de facto one-party system. “Perhaps the administration’s most disturbing achievement has been the systematic weakening of opposition parties, leaving the APC standing alone—not by merit, but by default,” he said.
He noted that political leaders aware of this risk have rallied around the ADC to build a credible national alternative, though agents aligned with the presidency are now allegedly trying to interfere with the party’s presidential selection.
Atiku’s statement reiterates his central role in the ADC’s mission and reaffirms the party’s openness to a competitive and transparent process.
In July 2025, top opposition figures—including Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi—adopted the ADC as their coalition platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
Who do you think will emerge as the ADC flagbearer, and can the party successfully challenge the APC in 2027? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
