Tag: Atiku Abubakar

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2027: I’m Ready To Abandon My Presidential Ambition, Support Younger Candidate – Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, a leading figure in the opposition coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC), has indicated that he may step aside for a younger presidential candidate in 2027, provided certain conditions are met.

Atiku expressed willingness to abandon his presidential ambition for a younger, vibrant and acceptable candidate under the ADC.

The former Vice President disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday.

Atiku noted that his interest in the 2027 race is not about personal ambition, but about providing a credible alternative to rescue Nigerians.

The former VP charged younger Nigerians to actively participate in politics, stressing that he would fully back them if picked to contest for the presidency.

Atiku denied claims that he was desperate for the seat of the president declaring that he was only interested in rescuing Nigeria from the people that have held it hostage.

“My being in the 2027 race does not prevent anyone from contesting. If a vibrant and widely accepted younger candidate emerges, I am willing to step aside,” Atiku said.

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2027: Ex-CPC Chairmen Deny Endorsing Atiku

The Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) on Saturday dissociated itself from the recent visit by some members to the Abuja residence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

It described the visit as the personal decision of a few individuals, stressing that it did not represent the position of the group.

The Forum also urged the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress to address what it called the continued marginalisation of the CPC bloc within the APC.

Atiku who has since renounced his membership of the PDP, is reportedly wooing many opposition figures to rally round him in a bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the. 2027 presidential election.

Although, he is yet to declare for any of the existing political parties, there are indications that the ex-Vice President will formally join the African Democratic Congress ahead of the polls.

Already, CPC chieftains including former governors of Kaduna and Rivers States, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi respectively as well as ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal have teamed up with Atiku to work against Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Earlier in the week, the Atili took to his social media handles to announce the visit of some ex-CPC State Chairmen, stressing that he advised them to encourage their supporters to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.

However, in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Kasim Mabo (National Chairman); Sulaiman Oyaremi (National Secretary); Olalekan Obolo (South West Coordinator); Enyinnaya Nnachi (South East Coordinator) and Ahmad Dawayo (North East and North West Coordinator), the Forum clarified that out of its 37 members, only 16 have pledged their support to Atiku while 20 are in the same boat with President Tinubu.

The statement claimed that allies of the opposition have been pressuring the forum with offer of financial incentives to dump the APC in preparation for 2027.

The statement read in part, “We wish to categorically state that 20 members of the group remain committed to the All Progressives Congress. We wish to state clearly that for some time now our Forum has been put under intense pressure which includes financial gratification by opposition leaders which accounts for why nine of our members succumbed to their pressure a few months ago and seven others joined them only last week as it appears they could no longer resist the pressure.

“As we speak however, 20 of us remain unwaivering as we have lost one of our members from Borno State. This moment however calls for reflection, especially by the presidency and the APC leadership to urgently address the continued neglect of the CPC bloc, particularly the Forum of State Chairmen who are feeling increasingly alienated.

“Without the fear of sounding immodest, we remain the direct link to the grassroots structures that gave the CPC its national relevance and we were the Chairmen that worked with President Muhammadu Buhari of blessed memory to achieve the much touted 12.5m votes.”

The group noted that the gathering of the CPC elements at Atiku’s residence was nothing short of a move to give the former Vice President a misleading impression of “Widespread support.”

Reaffirming its loyalty, the Forum expressed support for the leadership of the defunct CPC bloc, led by Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Aminu Masari, and Tajudeen Abbas.

“We remain loyal, patient, but firm in our resolve to demand for better patronage just as we pray that the Almighty God shall continue to guide Mr President and indeed all our leaders,” the statement added.

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Tambuwal Is A Consistent Betrayer, Atiku Is Corrupt – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has labeled former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as serial betrayers.
He also accused Atiku of being corrupt.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Wike dismissed Tambuwal’s earlier remarks about choosing Atiku over him in matters of leadership.
“What do you mean by leadership and friendship? You cannot talk about leadership and ignore the person,” Wike said.
“These are people who have been consistently inconsistent. When you are a consistent betrayer, what do you expect?”
Wike further alleged that Tambuwal had positioned himself for a Senate role if Atiku had won the 2023 presidential election, adding that both men were known for switching parties for personal advantage.
On Atiku, Wike said: “Seun, what do you mean by leadership and friendship? You cannot talk about leadership and you do not talk about the person. I was privileged to have these clips with me and luckily for me, I have never come out on National Television to talk about Aminu Tambuwal but this is an opportunity to talk about him and I will tell you. He said he trusts Atiku in terms of leadership. Seun, why not? These are people that have been consistently inconsistent. You know when you are a consistent betrayer, what do you expect? Now birds of the same feather flock together. There is no way Aminu will not go along with Atiku knowing fully well they are dissidents. When you hear Tambuwal talking, we from the Niger Delta, sometimes when you go to pick snail, you see an empty shell. When you are speaking to Tambuwal, you think you are talking to a human being. Tambuwal cannot talk about leadership, I made him Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Atiku cannot stand for truth, I did not say it, Obasanjo in his book “My Watch” said it, that’s their principal. What is his leadership trait? Obasanjo also claimed that when he was seeking for a Vice Presidential Candidate, he made a mistake with Atiku though an honest mistake but he is happy that God has forgiven him. His penchant for corruption. Former President Obasanjo gave a testimonial of his subordinate but I have shown leadership.”
Recall that on September 6, Tambuwal, who appeared on the same programme earlier in September, pledged loyalty to Atiku, stressing that his choices were guided by governance values rather than friendship.
According to him, his disagreements with politicians had always been ideological, as he continued to enjoy cordial relations with leaders across party lines.
“When it comes to leadership of this country and leadership of the people, tomorrow, not even today, I would rather support Atiku than Nyesom Wike. It is a collaboration. It is not something difficult.
 
“Once it is about being altruistic and nothing personal. You have never seen me going against President Bola Tinubu personally, you have never heard of me going against Nyesom Wike personally,” he said.
He insisted that his past disagreements with leaders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, were based on principles and ideology.
He explained, “We disagreed on principle, the way, and the direction things are going. I had no problem personally with Goodluck Jonathan, but we disagreed, and I left PDP for APC.”
The rift between Wike and key PDP leaders dates back to 2023, when Wike openly criticised Atiku, Tambuwal, and Bukola Saraki for abandoning zoning arrangements that could have favoured the South.
He also reminded viewers that he once supported Tambuwal’s bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives against the party’s preference.
Tambuwal, however, stressed that political disagreements should not be mistaken for personal hostility.
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Tinubu Cannot Solve Nigeria’s Hunger – Atiku Warns of Revolution

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has slammed President Bola Tinubu over the rising level of hunger and hardship in the country.
He lamented that Nigerians are suffering from poverty under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He noted that Tinubu is not capable of solving Nigeria’s problems.
‎In a statement by his Media Aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku recalled how poverty and hunger caused revolutions in the Arab world, as well as France and Russia.
In a statement released today September 15, the African Democratic Party (ADC) chieftain described the level of hunger in the country as unacceptable, particularly among the underprivileged and downtrodden.
“Whatever reform the Tinubu government might claim to be undertaking, the point remains that food insecurity is a daily occurrence nationwide.  There is no government worth its salt that does not place priority on the welfare and security of the people” Atiku said
He warned that “most violent socio-political uprisings and revolutions around the world have been driven by widespread hunger and unbearable living conditions, especially the paradox of extreme poverty in a land of abundance.”
The former Vice President emphasized that the primary responsibility of any government is to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens.
However, he lamented that under the leadership of President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), millions of Nigerians are increasingly trapped in poverty and misery.
He further stated that the current state of the nation offers little reason for optimism, as it is fueling a growing surge in criminal activities, including large-scale fraud, terrorism, kidnapping, cultism, drug abuse, and ritual killings, among others.
He advised that the “current unacceptable situation offers an opportunity for reflection,” citing historical examples such as the French Revolution, the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the Arab Spring.
He recalled how a young man, driven by unbearable frustration, set himself ablaze, an act that triggered widespread socio-political unrest, beginning in Tunisia and spreading across the Middle East and North Africa.
“Back home here in Nigeria, it may not be out of place to argue that even the “ENDSARS” protest was fuelled by the traumatising frustration of hunger and insensitivity on the part of the government,” he said.
He stressed further that since reforms are made for citizens and not the other way round, the reforms of this administration should have a human face.
“Whether the present powers accept it or not, the reality of our existence is that the poor are increasingly dying of hunger while the majority of the living poor exists at the mercy of the ill-advised policies of this government.” he said
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Nigerians Breaking Records – Atiku Congratulates Hilda Baci for Guinness World Record Jollof Rice Feat

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has congratulated celebrity chef, Hilda Baci for breaking another Guinness World Record.
This is as he also applauded Nigerians, saying they are good in breaking records and setting standards.
Baci cooked the largest served Nigerian styled Jollof Rice on Friday, weighing 8,780 kilogram.
The largest pot of Nigerian styled Jollof Rice was confirmed by the Guinness World Record on Monday.
Reacting, Atiku posted on X: “Congratulations to Hilda Baci and Gino for setting a new world record with the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof rice.
 
“It is yet another reminder that our people can break records, set standards, and inspire the world. -AA”
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Atiku Lists Nine Electoral Reforms Tinubu’s Govt Must Fulfill Before 2027 Election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has listed nine electoral reforms that must be made by President Bola Tinubu’s administration before election can be held in 2027.
According to him, these reforms will restore electoral integrity and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Atiku warned that unless reforms are implemented, public confidence in the democratic process will continue to erode.
He wrote: “The enthusiasm of Nigerians in the ongoing continuous voters registration of PVCs is commendable and indicative of the commitment of Nigerians to take their destinies in their hands in choosing their leaders in the next elections cycle.
 
However, it is not just enough to demand that eligible voters register for their PVCs.
 
It is pertinent that far-reaching electoral and judicial reforms are undertaken to ensure electoral integrity, strengthen public confidence, and promote judicial independence.
 
Over time, the quality of our elections has continued to depreciate with voter turnout at an all-time low during the 2023 elections. Of the total 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million persons voted in the last presidential and National Assembly elections. This represents a meagre 26.72 per cent voter turnout, the lowest since the return to democracy in 1999.
 
Something needs to be done to check this slide if citizens are to continue to have an appetite for the democratic processes and the prospects that it holds. The issues of BVAS, electronic transmission, and all other associated issues need to be addressed to the extent that they’re constitutionally provided for in order not to leave it to the whims and caprices of judges. As Prof. Chidi Odinkalu warned in his book, “The Selectorate: When Judges Topple The People,” Judges, “once constrained arbiters of electoral disputes, have become increasingly unconstrained in determining who holds power — shifting legitimacy from voters to the courts. In some cases, this influence has extended beyond the courtroom, creating a system where a small, connected elite decides leadership under the cover of legal process.”
 
The envisaged electoral and judicial reforms will return the power to the people to choose their leaders and not a conclave of interested parties. 
 
There should be an amendment in the 2022 Electoral Act, providing for: First, mandatory use of BVAS for accreditation of voters and upload of election results from all the polling units and collation centres across Nigeria without any provision for discretion to the Independent National Electoral Commission (@inecnigeria) for manual accreditation of voters.
 
Second, mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the polling units to the iREV without any provision for discretion to the Independent National Electoral Commission for manual transmission of election results.
 
Third, collation of results at the Ward Collation Centers on the basis of the results already electronically transmitted to the iREV from the polling units without any provision for manual collation of results at the Ward  Centers.
 
Fourth, collation of results at the Local Government or Area Council Collation Centers on the basis of the results already electronically transmitted to the iREV from the Ward Collation Centers without any provision for manual collation of results at the Local Government or Area Council Centers.  
 
Fifth, collation of results at the State Collation Centers on the basis of the results already electronically transmitted to the iREV from the Local Government Collation Centers without any provision for manual collation of results at the State Center.  
 
Sixth, collation of results at the National Collation Center on the basis of the results already electronically transmitted to the iREV from the State Collation Centers without any provision for manual collation of results at the National Council Center.  
 
Seventh, at no point shall manual accreditation of voters, transmission of results, and collation of results be allowed.
 
Eight, the position of the Chairman of INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioners, and the National Electoral Commissioners shall be subjected to a democratic voting by the people.
 
Ninth, INEC to prove substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Constitution in the conduct of the election in an election petition and not the petitioner. -AA”
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“I’ll run for president in 2027 to save the nation” – Atiku to Nigerians

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he will contest the 2027 presidential election, insisting that Nigeria must be “rescued from the intensive care unit” where it currently lies.

According to Olateju, Atiku’s political focus was not on personal ambition but on ensuring a better Nigeria. But Abubakar swiftly distanced himself from those comments.

“I did not issue that statement,” Abubakar said in a telephone interview with his former media aide, Tunde Olusunle. “In this particular instance, there was no engagement with me to distil my thoughts. Prof. Olateju was not speaking for me.

“I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned to. The degeneration in our country—the poverty, the pain, the anguish—is unacceptable. I will be offering myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland.”

The former vice-president, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said the ADC coalition, to which he belongs, is building a mass movement that will “shock the world” and upstage the political establishment in 2027.

Atiku, who is 78 years old, has run for Nigeria’s presidency six times and was on the ballot as a candidate in 2007, 2019, and 2023. In May 2024, he vowed to “keep contesting” for the presidency as long as he remains healthy.

If successful in securing the ticket, he will be 81 years old by the time Nigerians go to the polls in 2027.

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Stop Groping In The Dark In 2024 – Atiku Warns Tinubu

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has sent a message to President Bola Tinubu as he celebrates the new year.
He warned the Tinubu-led administration to show a clear direction of its policy projections and desist from the subsisting behaviour of groping in the dark in 2024.
He lamented the current intensity of the trying times many families and businesses are going through, adding that a completely different pathway could have been taken had the government been smarter with their policy prescriptions.
Atiku, in his 2024 New Year Message, said time and season was created to take stock of realities and effect necessary amends.
While he expressed gratitude to God and welcomed Nigerians to the new year, Atiku, admitting that the past year was challenging, said lessons learnt are what should prepare Nigerians for the future.
He said, “The rising cost of food items, goods and services, the malfunction in our national economy and the degenerating state of our national and community security are all existential challenges that we have to face squarely in the New Year.
 
“While many companies have closed their operations in Nigeria and moved their enterprise elsewhere with clearer policies and visions, the situation of life for Nigerians keeps getting direr.
 
“To walk back from these throes of adversities will require a well-thought vision of National Planning that will deliberately make the common people of Nigeria the centrepiece of our development.
 
“The Year 2024 is still new on its canvas; and so, there is ample time for the current government to champion a pathway to addressing the acute hardship that Nigerians are going through.
 
“The government must show a clear direction of its policy projections and desist from the subsisting behaviour of groping in the dark.
 
“While I congratulate all Nigerians for witnessing this New Year, I also wish to call on everyone to double our efforts to put our respective families and businesses in good shape,” he said.
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Profound Loss To The Nation – Atiku Reacts To Kaduna-Abuja Expressway Accident

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the accident which claimed the lives of 16 victims along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

It was reported that 16 persons were killed and 27 were injured in the fatal road crash that occurred at Audu Jhangon village along the expressway on Sunday evening.

In a post via his official X handle on Sunday night, the former Vice President commiserated with the victims of the tragic auto crash and described the sad incident as devastating.

Atiku said the accident was a profound loss for the nation and the affected families and called for the provision of support and comfort to all those grieving and recovering from this heartbreaking incident.

The PDP flagbearer offered his deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.

He wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic road accident that occurred today at Audu Jhangon village along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

“This devastating event, which claimed 16 precious lives and left 27 individuals with injuries, is a profound loss for our nation and the affected families.

“In these difficult times, my heart goes out to all those who have been impacted by this tragedy. I offer my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to those who are injured.

“May we come together as a community to provide support and comfort to all those grieving and recovering from this heartbreaking incident.”

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Atiku Refuses To Release Academic Records

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 elections has reportedly refused to release his academic records.

Recall that the former Vice President sent his lawyers to the United States to legally force Chicago State University (CSU) to release the academic records of President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku had accused Tinubu of forgery of a certificate from an American university. Atiku had questioned the copy. of the CSU certificate Tinubu presented to INEC as evidence of his educational qualification to run for president.

Arguing that he needed the documents to strengthen his case at the Supreme Court after the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) dismissed his petition against the election of the president, Atiku persuaded the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to order CSU to release to his representatives the academic records of Tinubu, who claimed to have graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

On 19 September, Jeffrey Gilbert, a US magistrate judge, granted the request and ordered CSU to release the records within 24 hours.

Although Tinubu filed an appeal against the order, a judge, Nancy Maldonado, dismissed the objection, concurring that Atiku had the right to access the records.

According to Premium Times, it requested the former vice president through a letter dated October 3, 2023, to provide copies of the academic certificates he obtained from primary school up to the university.

The news platform also said Atiku should provide his Master’s degree certificate, as claimed in his filing to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when he ran in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections.

Seven weeks after the letter was sent and without a response from the former vice president, the news platform said it sent him a reminder dated November 13 and sent copies of both the original letter and the reminder to Atiku’s residence in the highbrow Asokoro area and to his media office at the Central Business District, both in Abuja.

It said the reminder and the letter were received and acknowledged, adding that Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, promised to ensure a prompt response to the request.

Yet, Atiku did not reply to the letter or make the requested information available to the public through other channels.

In the letter, Premium Times wrote: “We respectfully congratulate Your Excellency on your success in obtaining the academic records of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Chicago State University after a valiant legal battle at the United States District Court, Northern Illinois.

“Your stated reason for the pursuit of the documents is to support your challenge of the authenticity of the certificate presented by President Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 25 February 2023 presidential election.

“We also see it as a patriotic endeavour to set high ethical standards for Nigerian public figures, in particular those seeking high public offices, and to promote the noble principles of transparency and honesty in the conduct of public affairs in our country.

“We find it especially commendable that you have chosen to do this through the judicial route, thus again cementing your reputation as a democrat and an adherent to due process.

“It is in the same interest of transparency that we hereby respectfully request your own academic records.

“Making the records available to us will demonstrate that you did not demand from your opponent what you are not willing to give.

“Sir, what we seek from you are your admission records, transcripts and certificates from all the academic institutions that you attended at home and abroad, including for the award of a Master’s degree.

“To raise even higher the bar of transparency and moral exemplariness, Your Excellency may wish to add your employment and business records as well.”

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