2027: I’m Willing To Step Aside If Younger Aspirant Wins ADC Primary – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he is open to stepping aside for a younger aspirant if he loses the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in the 2023 elections, also said it is too early to confirm whether he will contest but stressed that uniting the opposition under the ADC is his current priority.

“This is only the beginning. Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following.

“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 dismissed speculations that he might “double-deal” between the ADC and PDP, insisting, “No, I’m not known for that. If I say I am going one way, I will go that way.”

Recall Vanguard reported that the 78-year-old in July resigned from the PDP citing irreconcilable differences and a shift in the party’s direction away from its founding principles.

In a letter dated July 14, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of PDP Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State, Atiku formally terminated his membership of the party with immediate effect.

“I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the Party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for,” he added.

“It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged,” the letter reads in part.

VANGUARD