Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said that no aspirant will step down for another in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential race, as preparations speedup ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He disclosed this in a Tuesday statement by his spokesman, Paul Ibe, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to intimidate and weaken the opposition ahead of next year’s elections. The ex-VP’s comments followed rumours that he is facing pressure to step aside for a southern candidate to emerge as the ADC’s flagbearer in the upcoming election against Tinubu.
According to him, opposition leaders rallied around the ADC to build a credible national alternative to the ruling party, adding that all qualified aspirants would “present themselves freely” when the party begins its selection process. “Predictably, agents aligned with the presidency are now attempting to destabilise the ADC from the outside—issuing reckless prescriptions about its internal affairs, particularly the choice of a presidential candidate,” the ex-VP said.
“Let it be stated plainly: the ADC is on a national rescue mission. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alongside other committed patriots, is central to this effort. Any call — overt or covert — for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people.” Atiku stressed that the ADC remained committed to “an open, transparent, and competitive process” for selecting its flagbearer.
