Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has firmly rejected calls for him to step aside for other presidential contenders in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting all aspirants will compete through an open and transparent process ahead of the 2027 election.
In a statement released Tuesday through his spokesman Paul Ibe, Atiku warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces serious threats as opposition parties come under pressure from what he described as deliberate attempts to weaken them.
The ADC is attracting major opposition figures, including Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, who have both expressed interest in the party’s ticket.
Atiku accused allies of President Bola Tinubu of trying to destabilize the ADC through interference and manipulation, claiming these efforts aim to create a one-party state by eliminating political alternatives.
“Any call for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people,” the statement read. “The ADC remains committed to an open, transparent, and competitive process for selecting its candidate.”
He argued that if anyone should step down, it is President Tinubu, whose nearly three-year administration he blamed for economic hardship and shrinking democratic space.
Atiku emphasized that the ADC is currently focused on building party structures nationwide and will welcome all genuine opposition figures. He insisted that when the time comes, all qualified aspirants will present themselves freely, with no one being forced to withdraw.
The former vice president described the ADC as being on a “national rescue mission” and vowed that intimidation and sabotage would not derail efforts to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.
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