Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied reports claiming he plans to step aside for another presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku described such claims as a misrepresentation of his recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.
Ibe explained that a careful review of both the video and transcripts of the interview showed that Atiku never said, suggested, or implied that he intends to step down for anyone.
The statement reads, “After a thorough review of both the video and transcripts of the interview – in the original Hausa and the English translation – it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President expressly state, suggest, or even imply that he intends to step down for anyone.
“What Atiku Abubakar clearly and unambiguously said was that young people, as well as other prospective presidential aspirants, are free to enter the contest. He further stressed that if a young candidate were to emerge through a competitive primary, he would readily support such a candidate without any hesitation.
“While interpretative journalism is a legitimate aspect of reporting, stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable and must not be encouraged.
“For the record, therefore, the insinuations attributed to Waziri Adamawa from his BBC Hausa interview are inaccurate and do not reflect what he actually said.”
It had earlier been reported that Atiku, in an interview with BBC Hausa, said he will withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if a younger aspirant defeats him to clinch the African Democratic Congress presidential ticket.
The former vice president also noted that he would support and mentor such a candidate.
“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 had said.
