Atiku vows to run in 2027: ‘Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued’ – aide confirms

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has dispelled rumours that he might sit out the next presidential contest, telling close associates that he intends to stand in 2027 and arguing that Nigeria must be rescued from what he called its present decline.

The declaration – made public by his long-time associate and spokesperson during the 2023 campaign, Tunde Olusunle, in an interview with ThisDay – followed commentary suggesting Atiku might be more focused on national healing than electoral ambition.

In his statement, quoted by Olusunle from Atiku’s holiday home in the UAE, Atiku insisted that earlier remarks attributed to Prof. Ola Olateju were unauthorised, saying: “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.”

On his political plans, Atiku was quoted as saying: “I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned to. The degeneration in our country, the level of poverty and pain, the anguish, is unacceptable.”

The former PDP presidential candidate accused the current administration of widespread theft and a loss of public values, and promised that the coalition he leads would mount a serious challenge in 2027, telling supporters that he intends to “offer myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland,” according to Olusunle’s account.