Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar has confirmed his intention to run for president again in 2027, but the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says he poses no threat to their chances of retaining power.
Atiku, who has contested for the presidency six times since 1993, lost to President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election and failed to overturn the result at the Supreme Court. According to a report by Punch, he said he would not give up on his political ambition and vowed to continue to fight for democracy and restructuring in Nigeria.
His spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, said on Tuesday that Atiku had the capacity, wisdom, knowledge, and energy to lead the country and revive its economy. He described him as “the president we never had” and “the president the country is missing”.
Bwala said Atiku understood the private sector very well and could leverage it to create a sustainable and clean-energy future for Nigeria.
APC Dismisses Atiku’s Ambition
However, the APC dismissed Atiku’s 2027 ambition as the most laughable news of 2024. The APC will defeat Atiku again, according to Bala Ibrahim, the party’s director of publicity, who said that Atiku had no political value.
He said Atiku was not a threat to the APC when he had some credibility and popularity, and he would not be a threat in 2027 when he would have diminished in both.
Ibrahim advised Atiku to quit politics and stop being misled by his aides and associates who were only interested in his money. He said Atiku should rather support a younger generation of leaders like Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023.
He said the APC was confident of winning the 2027 election with Tinubu, who had transformed Nigeria with his visionary leadership and anti-corruption crusade.
PDP Welcomes Atiku’s Declaration
Meanwhile, the PDP welcomed Atiku’s declaration and said it was a healthy development for the party and the country. The party’s deputy publicity secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said Atiku had the right to pursue his presidential ambition and mobilize support for it.
He said Atiku’s aspiration would not put the party in limbo or cause any division, but rather galvanize, harmonize, and energize the party ahead of 2027. Ibrahim said the party would conduct a free and fair primary election to choose its flagbearer and present a credible alternative to the APC.
He also praised Obi for his performance and contribution to the party, saying he was a valuable asset and a potential leader for the country.
The APC, PDP, and other smaller parties and independent candidates are expected to keenly contest the 2027 presidential election. Nigerians are hoping for a peaceful, transparent, and credible process that will produce a leader that can address the challenges of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and corruption in the country.
