Reactions have continued to trail former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s interest in running for the Presidency in 2027.
He clarified one of his spokespersons during the 2023 presidential election, Tunde Olusunle.
Speaking with ThisDay, Olusunle said Atiku would run again in 2027 because Nigeria needs to be saved from the Intensive Care Unit under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
This follows reports that Atiku may reconsider his presidential bid after Prof Ola Olateju from Achievers University suggested that Atiku is more focused on improving Nigeria than the presidency itself.
Responding, Atiku distanced himself from the comments, stating from his holiday home in the UAE that the remarks were unauthorised.
“When people stand in for me at events, we preview my thoughts on the instant subject. In this particular instance, there was no engagement with me to distil my thoughts. Prof. Olateju was not speaking for me,” Olateju, who represented Atiku at an event in Lagos, quoted the former Vice President as saying.
“I will run in 2027. Nigeria must be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit to which it has been consigned. The degeneration in our country, the level of poverty and pain, the anguish, is unacceptable.”
The Imo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu, has stressed that the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has the constitutional right to contest for any position of his choice.
Hon Nwachukwu made this submission while interacting with LEADERSHIP.
According to him, the constitution is clear and allows the citizenry to contest political positions.
“He will be exercising his rights and privileges as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
Hon. Nwachukwu, however, highlighted that the PDP has zoned the presidency to the South and expects the electorate to support candidates from the zone in line with the law of equity, justice and fair play.
In his contribution, Hon. Cajethan Duke, the spokesperson for Mazi Chima Amadi’s governorship campaign organisation, emphasised that we are running a democratic government, which gives individuals the authority to exercise their rights freely.
According to him, Abubakar is qualified and should be allowed to contest. However, he stressed that we must listen to the populace’s heartbeat.
Nigeria Voters Will Decide – Kaka
Commenting on the resolve of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to contest the 2027 presidential election, Senator Gbenga Kaka, a former deputy governor of Ogun State said,’’ It is the fundamental right of Atiku Abubakar to challenge, even beyond 100 years of age, there is nothing wrong in him contesting, but it is left for Nigerians to put him on a scale and assess his worthiness in all ramifications for the exalted position of being the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria, with over 80 percent of the population being the age of 25 and 40 years.
He has been circulating for nearly 40 years.
“I think if he doesn’t know he has to retire, Nigerians should teach him how to retire peacefully, but it is his right to go ahead and contest.
For Comrade Mark Adebayo, spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, the former vice president can not be forced out of the race because of his age.
He said, “My opinion about people mounting pressure on Atiku to jettison his presidential ambition because of age is that the position of CUPP is that you can’t tell anybody to retire from politics on the account of age, it is on account of capacity, good health, sound health and his popularity with the electorate.
“Of course many would say Atiku should have retired from politics, for haven been aspiring to be president of the country for up to four decades now, that would have been the opinion of the public, but if the man felt he is healthy enough, if he has something better to deliver to Nigeria.
According to him, the general mood in the country is that the South be allowed to finish its term. He urges candidates from the North to wait for their turn in 2031, adding that by then, Atiku will be approaching his 90th birthday.
“Only God can determine any man’s health, strength, and longevity. If he is still as strong as now, 2031 is his most significant chance. Strategically speaking, the best time for Atiku is 2031. If age is still on his side, I will advise him to wait until 2031 to contest.
“He would be the best the North can offer in 2031. At the end of the day, everything boils down to God Almighty and the electorate.
“Nobody should discourage him from running if he wants to run. Whether he will win or not depends on how he packages his campaign for 2027. Generally, the opposition must up its game. If we are serious about getting APC out of power in 2027, we must up our game and seriously up our game. It is not going to be a tea party.
