Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has dropped a bombshell, declaring he will walk away from the 2027 presidential race if a younger contender defeats him for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Atiku said: “If I run for office, and a young man defeats me, I will accept that. The party we have joined now prioritises youth and women.”
Atiku, who has contested Nigeria’s top seat six times and will be 81 by the next polls, insisted his focus is to strengthen the ADC ahead of 2027.
“This is only the beginning. Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following,” he added, promising to mentor any young aspirant who outpaces him.
The former PDP chieftain blasted his old party for “losing its soul” and accused APC infiltrators of sabotaging the opposition.
“Besides, that is one of the reasons we set up ADC, which I am a member of,” he said.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi are both said to be eyeing the ADC ticket, and unlike Atiku, they are decades younger.
With his political future hanging on youthful rivalry, Atiku insists the ADC is on a mission to shake the system: “Our goal is to establish the party structures at the state level… ready for the 2027 elections.”
