2027: Atiku’s aide refutes claims about viral video
By Jeffrey Agbo
Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed claims that the ex-presidential candidate has announced plans to contest the 2027 election.
The rebuttal comes after a video surfaced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where Atiku was reportedly heard saying he would soon make a “formal announcement” about his political future. The footage has sparked speculation that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain is preparing another presidential bid.
But in a statement issued on Friday, Ibe described the interpretations as inaccurate, explaining that the clip was recorded in 2022 ahead of the PDP’s presidential primaries for the 2023 polls.
“Atiku’s old video is being used for mischief. Yes, this was former Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), Atiku Abubakar, speaking to journalists ahead of the 2023 PDP presidential primary,” Ibe said.
He noted that Atiku’s tone in the video reflected the confidence of a candidate actively engaged in a political contest.
“He sounded confident because that is what is expected of a man who had worked hard and was optimistic of victory in the primaries of the 2023 election,” he added.
Urging Nigerians to disregard the misleading interpretations, Ibe stressed the need for context and cautioned against the deliberate twisting of facts.
“It is important to provide the context of this video to deprive mischief makers of the opportunity of misrepresenting what this video is all about,” he said.
