Atiku, a former Vice President, has contested for the presidency six times, but he is yet to win any of the polls.
By Kehinde Okeowo
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has refused to rule out the possibility of running for the presidency in 2027.
Speaking in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, anchored by Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, the former Vice President declared that he is uncertain about his 2027 presidential ambition.
His remarks came a few days after he announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders aiming to oust the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
Prior to this, former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun had advised coalition leaders to nominate a candidate from the South, arguing that a northern candidate, such as Atiku, could struggle to gain nationwide support due to Nigeria’s North-South power rotation principle.
“If the ticket goes to a northern politician like Atiku, he will be violating the convention that has been in place since 1999, and it will be a hard sell,” Osuntokun said.
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However, when asked if he would run for the presidency in the 2027 election, Atiku said, “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of contesting in the 2027 election, stating the need for Nigeria to have a competent leader.
“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.
“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he added.
Atiku has contested for the presidency six times, but he is yet to win any of the polls.
