Finally, Atiku Gives Up Presidential Ambition

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has drawn the curtain on his bid to become Nigeria’s president.

The ADC chieftain declared that contesting the 2027 presidential election would be his final attempt at Nigeria’s highest office, saying the stakes were significantly higher as he prepared for what would be his eighth run.

Atiku disclosed during an interview on Prime Time Special on ARISE News Channel on Wednesday evening, where he reflected on his decades-long political journey and his long-time ambition to lead Nigeria.

When asked about his age against the backdrop of his 8th attempt and whether the 2027 race would be his final shot at the presidency or not, Atiku said: “Certainly yes. Because the stakes are higher, because I believe that will be my last outing. So that’s incontrovertible.”

The African Democratic Congress(ADC) chieftain, who has contested presidential elections across multiple political platforms over the years, including the PDP, AC and now the ADC, defended his continued relevance in Nigeria’s political space, insisting that experience remains critical to leadership.

“I represent both the past and the future,” Atiku said. “We have seen various levels of leadership in the country, both young and old, and we’re experiencing them. And I still believe that our expectations of the young leadership is below what we thought. They require experience and they require tutelage from the older generation.”

Atiku, who served as vice president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, argued that his time in office provided him with invaluable lessons that shaped his political outlook.

“There was a lot I learned. I don’t think I could have learned what I learned being vice president outside that system,” he said.

Responding to concerns that he represents Nigeria’s entrenched political establishment, the former vice president maintained that governance failures in the country were more systemic than generational, pointing to what he described as weak leadership structures in several states.

“We have had so many young governors in several states who have failed woefully when it comes to governance challenges,” he said, adding that inexperienced leadership without strong mentorship at the centre has contributed to governance deficits.