Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared his willingness to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if a younger, widely acceptable candidate emerges under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku made the disclosure in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday, as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary.
The former presidential candidate stressed that his political ambition is not driven by personal gain but by a desire to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative capable of rescuing the nation from its current crises.
“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,” he said.
On his decision to align with the ADC, Atiku cited unresolved internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and alleged interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He lamented that the PDP leadership had failed to take decisive steps to end its protracted divisions, compelling him to seek a fresh political platform.
According to him, efforts to build a united opposition under the PDP were frustrated by some leaders he claimed were compromised by the APC.
On strengthening the ADC, Atiku revealed that the party has already constituted its national leadership and is working to establish strong structures at state and local government levels ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s 65 years of independence, he acknowledged pockets of progress but insisted that the nation has yet to fulfill the dreams 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 added.
