A fresh political battle erupted on Thursday after the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku secured 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who polled 504,117 and 177,120 votes respectively.
The primary election, however, sparked controversy after Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen rejected the conduct of the exercise, describing it as flawed. Both candidates later boycotted the collation and announcement of results.
Reacting to Atiku’s emergence, the Presidency said the former Vice President posed no threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described Atiku as a “perennial contestant” who had pursued the presidency for decades without success.
“He doesn’t pose any threat to President Tinubu’s election,” Ajayi stated.
He also dismissed the opposition coalition backing Atiku, claiming it was driven by personal grievances rather than ideology or national development goals.
According to Ajayi, the coalition had already weakened following the withdrawal of key figures such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The Presidency further argued that the political conditions that helped former President Muhammadu Buhari defeat an incumbent in 2015 no longer exist.
Meanwhile, both the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Labour Party criticised Atiku’s renewed presidential ambition, saying it could worsen tensions surrounding the country’s unofficial North-South power rotation arrangement.
The Labour Party described Atiku’s decision to contest again as politically insensitive, while the SDP reiterated its commitment to zoning its presidential ticket to the South.
The APC also joined the debate, insisting Nigerians would judge the 2027 election based on the performance of the Tinubu administration and not opposition alliances.
Reacting on behalf of Atiku, his aide, Phrank Shaibu, accused the Presidency of showing signs of nervousness by reacting strongly to the ADC primary outcome.
Shaibu said Nigerians were more concerned about hardship, insecurity, unemployment and economic difficulties than political propaganda.
He also confirmed that Atiku visited Amaechi at his Abuja residence shortly after the primary election as part of efforts to reconcile party members and strengthen unity within the ADC.
According to Shaibu, the meeting focused on national issues and the need for collaboration in addressing Nigeria’s challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.
Political observers believe the meeting was an early move by Atiku to consolidate support within the ADC as preparations for the next presidential election intensify.
