𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕: 𝐈 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 – 𝐀𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐮

By Peter Dansu  Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential aspirant Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has firmly ruled out any p...

By Peter Dansu 

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential aspirant Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has firmly ruled out any possibility of withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race, insisting that he remains fully committed to the contest regardless of pressure from any quarter.

Atiku made this position clear in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by his media aide Paul Ibe. The statement titled Nigerias Democracy Under Siege Opposition Faces Existential Threat accused the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress of interfering in the internal affairs of the ADC particularly in the process of choosing its presidential flagbearer.

According to the statement Atiku dismissed calls for him to step aside describing them as dangerous to democracy and a direct attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of 2027. He maintained that such calls only serve authoritarian interests and undermine the will of the Nigerian people.

Political checks indicate that Atiku is not alone in the race for the ADC ticket as former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former APC presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi have also declared interest.

The former vice president accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of pursuing an alleged agenda to impose a one party system on the country claiming that agents linked to the Presidency are now working to destabilize the ADC from outside by issuing what he described as reckless directives on who should emerge as the party’s candidate.

Atiku however stressed that all aspirants would be subjected to a presidential convention noting that the ADC leadership has assured contenders of a transparent open and competitive process for selecting its flagbearer.

The statement painted a grim picture of the current state of the nation arguing that Nigerians have endured nearly three years of severe economic hardship and a shrinking democratic space under the Tinubu administration. It accused the government of deliberately weakening opposition parties to leave the APC dominant not by performance but by default.

It further noted that concerned Nigerians and political leaders rallied around the ADC early enough as a credible national alternative and a vehicle for rescuing the country from its current challenges.

Describing himself as central to this rescue mission Atiku declared that no aspirant would be pressured to withdraw adding that when the time comes all qualified contenders will present themselves freely before party delegates.

In a sharp remark the former vice president stated that if anyone should consider stepping aside it should be President Tinubu whose leadership he described as a national liability.

The statement also referenced the recent public declaration of ADC membership by Peter Obi in Enugu noting that it triggered open threats from some government officials and aides who allegedly vowed to undermine the party a development Atiku said exposed the fear within the ruling camp.

He concluded by affirming that the ADC remains open to all genuine opposition figures and is currently focused on building strong grassroots structures across the country insisting that no amount of intimidation intrigue or sabotage would derail what he described as a national rescue mission.

Atiku ended with a strong note declaring that Nigeria would not surrender its democracy without a fight.