APC promises heavy defeat as Atiku eyes 2027 presidential bid
The All Progressives Congress has dismissed the rumoured ambition of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for 2023, to run in the 2027 election.
Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s director of publicity, called Atiku’s desire for 2027 the most ridiculous development of 2024 in an interview on Wednesday. The former vice president would lose again, he said.
The former vice president Daniel Bwala’s spokesperson said on Tuesday night that his principal will run for president again in 2027.
In 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, Atiku made six unsuccessful attempts to win the presidency of Nigeria.
Atiku intimated that he was not going to retire from politics and vowed to continue influencing the political discourse after the Supreme Court upheld President Bola Tinubu as the victor of the 2023 election, in which he finished second.
Regarding himself and his group, he had declared, “This stage of our work is over.” I will not, however, disappear. I will fight alongside my fellow Nigerians to strengthen our democracy and rule of law, as well as to bring about the kind of political and economic reform that the nation need to realize its full potential, for as long as I have breath.
“Now that they have even greater stakes than my generation does, Nigeria’s younger generations ought to lead that struggle.”
However, during a Tuesday night broadcast on Channels television, Bwala referred to Atiku as the president Nigeria has never had.
The attorney answered, “Yes, he would run,” in response to an inquiry about whether Atiku will run for president in 2027. In addition to his ability, he possesses intelligence, knowledge, enthusiasm, and capability.
“Moreover, he is the president we never had.” Since Atiku Abubakar, to be perfectly honest, is one of the politicians who knows the private sector the best, and our economy can only thrive in the presence of a private sector-led economy. Because of his qualifications and expertise, he is the president the nation has been lacking.
Ibrahim Abdullahi, the PDP’s deputy publicity secretary, responded to Bwala’s disclosure by calling it a positive step and refuting the notion that some leaders’ aspirations to become president in 2027 would leave the party in shambles. He said the PDP needs to unite, mobilize support, and galvanize before 2027.
PDP offers Atiku praise.
“It (PDP) is a political party,” Abdullahi said in a conversation with one of our correspondents. Producing leadership is a political party’s ultimate purpose and aim. Consequently, I don’t think people should start organizing if they want to run on the PDP platform for president, governor, the Senate, or any other post in 2027. The reason for this is because organizing is one method to maintain political parties.
“You cannot just wake up in the morning and instruct people not to nurse ambition,” he stated in reference to the timing. It is not a political party in that case. My understanding of the question is that it implies that the political party will suffer if they carry out their political aspirations; nevertheless, it is untrue.
As a politician, I am aware that ambition and interests play a major role in politics. Consequently, it is not too early to start vying for dominance now, before 2027 as you see fit.
In order to ensure that they promote it in a positive environment and maintain the political party’s viability, they must go beyond party lines. Thus, in my opinion, it is a positive development. As long as they are acting legally, they ought to be permitted to do so.
“People want to be able to show interest in specific offices and to promote the party, so we’re not simply expecting them to go out and campaign or rally for support. It’s a positive development.
Atiku would, however, narrowly lose the 2027 presidential contest, according to APC publicity director Wednesday. He claims that the previous vice president is of no political significance.
Ibrahim responded, “Our party, the All Progressive Congress, thrashed Atiku not once, not twice,” when asked if Atiku’s ambitions posed a threat to the APC. We thoroughly beat him, even when we believed he had the energy and minimal credibility to appeal to Nigerians.
“In 2027, how can someone who is merely attempting to reestablish his equilibrium pose a threat to the APC? Atiku can never pose a challenge to the APC, thus that is impossible. When he had little worth, he posed no threat. He’s already worthless, how can he pose a threat? That is an unrealistic dream.
The ex-VP was persuaded to leave politics by the party spokesman, who pointed out that his advisors and political connections were misleading him.
APC censures the former vice president
“Atiku should better forget about politics completely,” Ibrahim continued. This is probably only Bwala’s and a few people’s imaginations. Furthermore, it just serves to demonstrate that Atiku is surrounded by individuals who are trying to deceive him, as anyone who truly cares about Atiku would not suggest that he run against Tinubu in the far future.
“The APC is not at all concerned about this. It is impossible to take Atiku seriously. He has never been a powerful figure, and in 2027, his political significance must have lessened, thus he cannot be. We haven’t arrived at the bridge yet, but we will cross it when we do.
Atiku’s eligibility to seek the presidency in 2027 was acknowledged by a few opposition political groups.
While acknowledging that Atiku retains the freedom to run for any office in politics, the New Nigeria People’s Party pointed out that 2027 seemed too far off to be discussing at this time.
Speaking about the 2023 election, Ladipo Johnson, the spokesman for the NNPP Presidential Campaign Council, reasoned that a lot may happen between now and 2027 that would make the discussion of the topic irrelevant.
“It is up to Nigerians to decide what they want,” he stated, referring to Daniel Bwala’s right to express his opinions about his principal’s ambitions. I don’t think it will be appropriate to start a discussion on the year 2027 just yet because it is a long way off. Too much time has passed.
Atiku has the right to run for office as many as he like, to be fair to him. A lot might happen between now and 2027. Let’s watch how things work out.
“Support Obi”
However, Nigerians were sick of Atiku and other members of the “old stock,” according to Yunusa Tanko, the spokesperson for the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday.
According to Tanko, Obi intends to run for president in 2027 and that the former governor of Anambra State wants Nigeria to be a working nation for all.
“Anyone who wants to demonstrate ambition and begin building at this time, that is their fundamental right,” he declared. However, we think that people’s interests are what really matter to us. And the public, particularly the youth of Nigeria, is leaning in our direction. The old stock has grown boring to them.
Consequently, we wish everyone from the old stock the best of luck if they choose to run for office. However, they should have done a better job of uniting this nation so that we can advance as a nation by supporting a younger generation like Peter Obi. For the Nigerian people right now, that would have made more sense and shown gratitude.
Obi responded, “That one is sure,” when asked if he would run in the 2027 election. That is clear-cut; there is no doubt about that.
He said, “Obi’s goal is not the most important thing; he desires to see Nigeria functioning. His goal is to see Nigeria function for everybody.
Olu Agunloye, the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, countered that there was nothing wrong with the former vice president’s aspirations.
Atiku and all other eligible Nigerians have the right to run for office, and many more will do so in 2027. In light of this, I find nothing wrong with Atiku’s desire to seek the presidency once more.
Indeed, he appealed to the opposition to unite in order to have a chance of unseating the APC following his Supreme Court defeat. It was the right decision. However, if you’re wondering about the SDP’s stance on this, we would not back Atiku in any form as we will run for president in 2027,” he stated.
Action African Alliance’s 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, discounted Atiku’s chances in 2027 in his characteristically direct manner, stating that even though he is likely to run, he will lose again.
Atiku has participated in and lost numerous competitions. Sowore declared, “He has nothing to give in the now or the future.
Rotimi Olawale, Executive Director of YouthHub Africa, stated that the former vice president was free to run for office once more but added that more senior politicians ought to back and encourage younger candidates.
“An administration has hardly even completed its first year in power. I don’t think it’s appropriate to make predictions about the next four years. Atiku has the right to run for president in 2027.
“I would strongly advise many of the elderly to give up their positions and allow a newer generation of Nigerian leaders to rise to the fore,” he said.
The Young Progressives Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Wale Egbeola-Martins, also made a contribution in which he stated, “Any eligible Nigerian has the constitutional right to run for the highest office in the land, just as electorates have the right to reject or accept any candidate through the ballot box.
“We should focus on ensuring good administration by holding the government in power accountable. It is premature to speculate about Atiku Abubakar’s potential 2027 campaign.
“Even though Atiku is more than qualified to run in 2027, the YPP has always held the view that young, bright, ambitious, and mentally progressive people should be encouraged to rise to positions of leadership at all levels, including the presidency. This effectively rules out Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a candidate.
