Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed his intention to run in the 2027 presidential election, citing his desire for a better Nigeria as outweighing his personal ambition to become President.
Professor Ola Olateju of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, who represented Atiku at the defection of several top political figures to the African Democratic Congress in Lagos over the weekend, hinted that Atiku was not desperate to occupy Aso Rock.
According to Olateju, Atiku Abubakar’s goal is to create a better Nigeria, not just to become President, but to establish a functional government for Nigerians, which is why some people support him, not because he must be President at all costs.
Tunde Olusunle, who served as special adviser on media and publicity to Abubakar during the 2023 presidential election, made the statement in a telephone conversation with journalists, but Atiku later disowned it.
He spoke from his holiday home in the United Arab Emirates, (UAE). “I did not issue that statement,” he said.
“When people stand in for me at events, we preview my thoughts on the instant subject and what my contribution or intervention will be, so we are on the same page. In this particular instance, there was no engagement with me to distill my thoughts. Prof Olateju was not speaking for me.”
According to the elder statesman, “I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned. The degeneration in our country, the level of poverty and pain, the anguish, is unacceptable. The accompanying deceit, the loss of values, the mega-scale, unimpeded thievery, the absolute lack of accountability, must disturb every concerned patriot. I will be offering myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland.”
Continuing, Atiku noted that the coalition which he is leading under the ADC is the galvanise popular support for the liberation of Nigeria.
He said a platform which was adopted just a few months ago cannot be expected to engender upsets in by-elections.
“ADC is leading a pottent mass movement which will shock the world. We will upstage the status quo in a way which will leave doubters dumbstruck.”
