BREAKING: Ex-VP Atiku in Pain {DETAILS EMERGE}

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, long a dominant figure in Nigeria’s opposition politics, is facing mounting pressure and uncertainty over his 2027 presidential ambition as political realignments and internal criticisms deepen ahead of next year’s general election.

Recent developments have added to concerns about Atiku’s prospects, particularly in his home state of Adamawa, where Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described by the presidency as a significant blow to Atiku’s political influence.

The Presidency went as far as advising the veteran politician to reconsider his political future, even suggesting he should “retire to Dubai,” a comment that underscores the depth of the challenge confronting him.

The defection has not just weakened Atiku’s base in Adamawa but also strengthened APC’s organizational presence in an area traditionally seen as a PDP stronghold, raising fresh questions about his ability to marshal grassroots support in key regions.

Within opposition circles, Atiku’s continued determination to contest — now reportedly under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after leaving the PDP — has also triggered tensions. Efforts to build a united front against the APC have repeatedly hit snags, with unresolved zoning disputes and leadership rifts leaving some analysts to warn that disunity could further erode his competitiveness.

Critics have been vocal. Some political voices, including commentators and former associates, have urged Atiku to rethink his presidential pursuit, arguing that repeated attempts without success may be diminishing his appeal and legacy. Opinions in the public domain have questioned whether Atiku remains the best standard-bearer capable of galvanizing a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party.

Atiku himself insists he remains committed to the race, dismissing defections and structural shifts as factors that will not ultimately determine the outcome of the election. He has framed the 2027 contest not merely as a showdown between political parties but as a referendum on governance and national direction.

Still, with less than a year to go before Nigerians go to the polls, the former vice president’s path to Aso Rock looks increasingly contested — shaped by shifting allegiances, scepticism among some opposition supporters, and strategic manoeuvres by the ruling APC.