Atiku hints at 2027 presidential bid amid coalition ticket talks

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has signaled his intention to contest the presidency again, as discussions intensify over who will fly the flag of the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, who lost to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and to President Bola Tinubu in 2023, gave the hint while receiving a delegation led by former Minister Idris Abdullahi. In a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, he condemned corruption and pledged to lead a government of integrity.

“We will decisively deal with anyone involved in stealing or corruption.

“Enough is enough! While other nations are progressing, Nigeria’s growth is being stifled by a few selfish individuals,” Atiku declared.

He emphasized that the coalition’s interim leadership was carefully selected to reflect honesty and integrity, indicating the type of leadership Nigerians can expect if he assumes office.

In a statement accompanying the video, Atiku lamented the continued suffering of Nigerians despite the country’s abundant resources, attributing it to poor governance. He vowed that the coalition, operating under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), would work to improve the lives of citizens.

This comes after reports that Atiku and other opposition figures had unveiled the ADC as the political platform to challenge President Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027.

As speculations continue over who will emerge as the coalition’s presidential candidate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, Labour Party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, said during an interview on ARISE TV that the choice of flagbearer remains the coalition’s biggest challenge.

He compared the coalition to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, noting that the APC had a clear frontrunner in Muhammadu Buhari long before its primaries. In contrast, Baba-Ahmed warned that the ADC-led coalition risks a messy primary due to the absence of a clear consensus candidate.

“There are structural misgivings in the coalition. Buhari was the clear choice from the start in the APC. In this case, there’s no distant anointed candidate. It will be a tight race that could lead to disputes,” he said.

He also expressed strong views on the role of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, arguing that Obi should not accept a vice presidential slot in 2027.

“I was rigged out as VP in 2023, but I believe Obi should not return as a running mate after securing over 10 million disputed votes. The VP position is too small for him,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, dismissed the coalition as a political tool for Atiku’s ambition. In a post on social media, he described the alliance as “Atiku’s show,” suggesting that Obi is being used for his support base without any real plan to hand him the presidential ticket.

“This is just Atiku’s faction of the PDP in search of the 2027 ticket. They want Obi’s votes but won’t give him the ticket. That’s why David Mark is the interim chairman. If Obi doesn’t get the ticket, the coalition will lose his supporters. It’s that simple,” Keyamo said.

He questioned the logic of making Obi a running mate to Atiku, pointing out that Obi won two regions—South-East and South-South—in 2023, while Atiku only secured the North-East.