Atiku says he’ll quit 2027 race if younger aspirant wins ADC ticket

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will step aside from the 2027 presidential race if a younger candidate secures the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, Atiku, 78, said he would not only accept defeat but also support and mentor such a candidate. He stressed that the ADC prioritises youth and women in its political agenda.

“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,” he said. “Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following.”

Although yet to confirm his candidacy, Atiku’s name has been linked to the 2027 contest. The former vice-president has run for Nigeria’s top seat six times and has been on the presidential ballot three times—in 2007, 2019, and 2023. By 2027, he will be 81 years old.

Potential contenders for the ADC ticket include Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, both younger than Atiku.

Explaining his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July, Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of planting moles within the opposition. He alleged that the APC-backed infiltration had deepened PDP’s crisis and weakened its ability to serve as a formidable opposition.

“As the days went by, the crises in PDP were growing, and the hope of resolving them was speedily vanishing,” he said. “The government was allegedly using some senior members of the party to destabilise it further.”

Atiku maintained that the ADC’s immediate goal is to build structures at the state and local government levels to prepare for the 2027 elections, adding that the party has already established its national leadership.