Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed reports suggesting he plans to step down for another candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
His spokesman, Paul Ibe, said on Thursday that sections of the media misrepresented Atiku’s Hausa interview with BBC. “At no point did he say he would withdraw for anyone,” Ibe clarified.
Instead, Atiku stressed that younger aspirants are free to contest, and he would support any candidate who emerges from a fair primary. Atiku, who recently defected from the PDP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is expected to run on the new platform with backing from opposition heavyweights.
In July, he resigned from the PDP citing irreconcilable differences. Atiku, a two-time PDP presidential candidate, lost to Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
His defection marks a shift in Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of 2027. “Interpretative journalism should not be stretched to mischief,” Ibe said, warning against twisting the former vice president’s words.
