Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he is ready to shelve his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general election if a younger and widely acceptable candidate emerges under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku made this known during an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary.
The former presidential candidate explained that his interest in the 2027 race is not about personal ambition, but about providing a credible alternative to rescue the country from its current state.
He urged younger Nigerians to actively participate in politics, assuring them of his full backing if they choose to run for the highest office.
“My being in the 2027 race does not prevent anyone from contesting. If a vibrant and widely accepted younger candidate emerges, I am willing to step aside,” Atiku stated.
Frustrations with PDP and Shift to ADC
Atiku also shed light on his decision to align with the ADC, blaming internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and alleged government interference for his departure.
According to him, efforts to build a united opposition under the PDP were repeatedly undermined by some party leaders who, he claimed, were being used by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to create division.
“We couldn’t achieve our objectives in the PDP because some leaders were being influenced by the APC to frustrate the opposition. The crisis kept growing, and hopes of resolving it kept fading,” he explained.
He added that if he had held a key decision-making role within the PDP leadership, he would have taken firm steps to resolve the party’s challenges. However, he lamented that those occupying such positions were more focused on personal interests.
Strengthening ADC Structures
Speaking on the future of the ADC, Atiku revealed that the party has already established its national leadership and is now focused on building strong state and local government structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Our plan is to ensure the ADC has solid structures at every level, so we can be fully prepared for the elections,” he said.
He also reflected on Nigeria’s journey since independence, noting that while there have been some improvements, the country is still far from the vision of its founding fathers.
“Nigeria has experienced changes, but they are not the kind of progress our founding fathers envisioned. There’s still a lot of work to be done,” he remarked.
