As preparations for the 2027 general elections gears up, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 disclosed that that no aspirant will step down for another in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential race.
Atiku, who made this disclosure through a statement issued Tuesday, 6 January, 2026 by his spokesman, Paul Ibe, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to intimidate and weaken the opposition ahead of next year’s elections.
Atiku’s followed rumours that he is facing pressure to step aside for a southern candidate to emerge as the ADC’s standard bearer in the upcoming election against Tinubu.
According to him, opposition leaders rallied around the ADC to build a credible national alternative to the ruling party, adding that all qualified aspirants would “present themselves freely” when the party begins its selection process.
“Predictably, agents aligned with the presidency are now attempting to destabilise the ADC from the outside—issuing reckless prescriptions about its internal affairs, particularly the choice of a presidential candidate,” the ex-VP said.
“Let it be stated plainly: the ADC is on a national rescue mission. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alongside other committed patriots, is central to this effort. Any call — overt or covert — for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people.”
Atiku accused President Bola Tinubu of misgovernance, describing his administration as a growing national liability.
“For nearly three years, Nigerians have endured one of the harshest periods in recent history, an era defined by punishing economic policies and shrinking democratic space under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“True to form, this administration has not only inflicted widespread hardship but has pursued a calculated effort to eliminate political alternatives. The objective is clear: a creeping, de facto one-party state.
“Perhaps the Tinubu administration’s most disturbing achievement has been the systematic weakening of opposition parties, leaving the All Progressives Congress—despite its manifest failures—standing alone by default, not by merit.
“Thankfully, patriotic leaders saw this danger early and chose resistance over silence by rallying around the African Democratic Congress as the nucleus of a credible national alternative,” he added.
