Supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have reacted to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his vow not to step aside for any aspirant in his quest to secure the African Democratic Congress ticket for the 2027 presidential race.
The Obidient Movement, Obi’s cult-like followership, dismissed Atiku’s posture as “mind games,” insisting their principal would never be caught in the murky politics of vote-buying or dollarised delegate inducement that dominate Nigeria’s political parties’ primaries.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the National Coordinator of the group and Obi’s former campaign spokesman, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said Obi’s political ideology stood in sharp contrast to the transactional politics that other politicians had normalised.
He said, “I’m happy Atiku is saying what he has in mind. It shows there’s something we can hold him accountable for. But Peter Obi is willing to bring new political ideology into the system.
“I can say it authoritatively that an Obi will never go into a primary election where he has to buy out the delegates. We know that is the norm in other camps.
“It is a fact that in Nigeria of today, delegates in every primary are being purchased. It is even in dollars and not naira. And for those of us who want to give hope to the younger generation, who may not have stolen or receive so much money from governors’ purse, how do you encourage them?”
Atiku had on Wednesday in an interview with BBC Hausa said he was prepared to contest ADC presidential primaries but would step aside if a younger aspirant defeated him.
The former VP said it was still premature to speak on whether he would be on the ballot in 2027.
“This is only the beginning. Our priority is to establish the party and gain a strong following,” Atiku said when asked if he would run.
“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 added.
When asked if there were suspicions that he could abandon the ADC later, Atiku dismissed such insinuations.
“No, I’m not known for that,” he said, shaking his head. “If I say so, then I’ll go that way,” he added, gesturing with his hand that he was “a man of one Qibla.”
The interview caused a ripple effect in the political sphere where many had opined that Atiku should not run in 2027 but back a younger candidate.
Reacting to Atiku’s declaration, a former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, said it would be difficult for any aspirant to defeat Atiku if he makes it to any party primaries.
Sani raised the concerns in a post via his official X handle on Thursday.
He wrote, “His Excellency the Waziri reportedly said he would step aside if a younger candidate wins the primaries… The keyword here is PRIMARIES… It’s easier for a camel to pass through the hole of a needle than to beat the Waziri in primaries. Party delegates are a special breed of people.”
A few hours after the BBC Hausa gained traction, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, issued a statement, stressing that the VP has no plan to step down for anyone.
Ibe explained that a careful review of both the video and transcripts of the interview showed that Atiku never said, suggested, or implied that he intended to step down for anyone.
He said, “After a thorough review of both the video and transcripts of the interview, in the original Hausa and the English translation, it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President expressly state, suggest, or even imply that he intends to step down for anyone.
“What Atiku Abubakar clearly and unambiguously said was that young people, as well as other prospective presidential aspirants, are free to enter the contest. He further stressed that if a young candidate were to emerge through a competitive primary, he would readily support such a candidate without any hesitation.
“While interpretative journalism is a legitimate aspect of reporting, stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable and must not be encouraged.
“For the record, therefore, the insinuations attributed to Waziri Adamawa from his BBC Hausa interview are inaccurate and do not reflect what he actually said.”
The ADC, which was unveiled in July as the coalition platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, has been struggling to get opposition figures such as Obi, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to formally join its ranks.
While some politicians have since crossed over, both Obi and El-Rufai have remained in their respective parties despite identifying with the coalition.
Obi said he would not be stampeded into abandoning the Labour Party for the ADC until he is fully ready.
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