Atiku Abubakar has denied stepping down ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying reports that he intends to withdraw for a younger candidate are false. His media aide, Paul Ibe, issued a statement on Thursday clarifying the controversy.
According to Ibe, the former vice-president’s remarks during a recent BBC Hausa interview were taken out of context and misrepresented by sections of the media.
“It has become necessary to clarify certain misrepresentations arising from the reportage of an interview granted by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, to the BBC Hausa Service by some sections of the media,” Ibe explained.
Atiku Denies Stepping Down for Younger Candidate
Ibe stressed that Atiku denies stepping down or suggesting he would quit the race for any aspirant. Instead, the former vice-president said that young politicians, alongside other contenders, are welcome to contest in the 2027 primaries.
“At no point did the Waziri Adamawa expressly state, suggest, or even imply that he intends to step down for anyone,” Ibe noted. He further emphasized that Atiku only pointed out that if a young candidate emerges through a competitive and fair primary process, he would support such a candidate.
Atiku criticized what he described as “mischief” in interpretative journalism, warning against twisting political statements to suit narratives.
ADC Ticket and 2027 Plans
The former PDP presidential candidate is widely expected to contest on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has reportedly been adopted by major opposition figures as a coalition platform to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A report by TheCable noted that Atiku stated he would accept the outcome of the ADC primary, even if a younger aspirant secures the ticket. However, he never pledged to step down before the contest.
With this clarification, Atiku denies stepping down and reaffirms his readiness to compete for the 2027 presidential ticket while leaving the door open for credible young aspirants.
