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Atiku Abubakar denies claims he plans to quit 2027 race, says he is ready for ADC presidential primaries.
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Media adviser accuses journalists of twisting BBC Hausa interview into false narratives.
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PDP in turmoil as Akwa Ibom exco dissolved, security operatives take over secretariat amid governor’s defection to APC.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed reports suggesting he intends to step down for any aspirant ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting he remains firmly in the race under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Thursday, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, accused sections of the media of misrepresenting his principal’s recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.
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“After reviewing both the video and transcripts of the interview, it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President state or imply that he intends to step down for anyone,” Ibe clarified.
He maintained that Atiku’s position was that younger aspirants were free to contest, and if a youthful candidate emerged from a transparent primary, the former Vice President would support such a choice.
“Stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable,” Ibe warned.
Reacting to the controversy, former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, said defeating Atiku in a primary contest would be “harder than a camel passing through the eye of a needle.”
READ ALSO: 2027: Atiku Says He’ll Step Aside if Defeated by Younger Aspirant in ADC Primary
The development comes amid worsening cracks within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from which Atiku defected in 2024 after years of internal strife. The National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, however, insisted the PDP remained united, describing reports of division as exaggerated.
But the party’s troubles in Akwa Ibom escalated on Thursday, with security operatives deployed to the state secretariat following the defection of Governor Umo Eno to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP National Working Committee announced the dissolution of the state executive council, citing loyalty issues, though the decision was immediately challenged by National Secretary Hon Samuel Anyanwu and state chairman Aniekan Akpan, who branded the move “illegal.”
Atiku meanwhile claimed the APC government had deliberately sponsored elements to destabilise the PDP, further compounding the party’s long-standing crisis.
With his reaffirmed ambition, the former Vice President is expected to mount a fresh battle for power in 2027, setting the stage for a fierce contest within the opposition.
