Atiku rejects retirement speculation, says ADC being targeted
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims suggesting he has stepped away from politics, insisting the reports are untrue and part of a deliberate effort to misinform the public and weaken the African Democratic Congress.
In a statement released on Monday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku described the speculation—particularly those circulating on social media about an alleged meeting with ADC stakeholders where he supposedly chose to retire—as “entirely false and deliberately misleading”.
The statement further explained that the former presidential candidate has not held any recent high-level meetings with ADC stakeholders, adding that his only recent political engagement took place in Adamawa State last Thursday, where he met with party members.
It reads in part, “The Waziri Adamawa has not in recent times held any such meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level. The only recent engagement he had was with stakeholders of the ADC in Adamawa State last Thursday.
“An issue as fundamental and consequential as exiting active politics cannot, and would never, be communicated through rumours, faceless sources, or third-party fabrication. Such a decision, if ever taken, would be formally conveyed through the Atiku Media Office.
“This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public.”
It also accused unnamed government agents of possibly sponsoring the narrative, claiming the development reflects fear of an emerging opposition movement.
“We state without equivocation that this mischief is being driven by anti-democratic elements who are deeply unsettled by the growing national consensus to rescue Nigeria from the failures of the current administration,” the statement added.
The media office urged Atiku’s supporters, ADC members, and Nigerians to disregard the claims and remain focused on what it described as efforts to “reclaim and rebuild” the country.
