By Fabian Apechihin

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has confirmed that he will contest the 2027 presidential election, dismissing reports suggesting he may quit the race.

Atiku’s position was disclosed on Sunday night by his long-time associate and 2023 campaign spokesperson, Tunde Olusunle, in a statement to ThisDay.

According to Olusunle, Atiku vowed to lead efforts to “rescue Nigeria from intensive care” under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stressing that his new political platform — the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — would mobilise Nigerians for a major upset in 2027.

The former Vice President, who recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the ruling government as plagued by “mega-scale thievery, loss of values, and lack of accountability.” He pledged that the ADC, which has recently attracted heavyweight politicians, would “shock the world” in the next general election.

“I will be offering myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland,” Olusunle quoted Atiku as saying after a private engagement in the UAE.

On the ADC’s performance in last week’s by-elections, Atiku clarified that the coalition was still in its infancy and could not have been expected to deliver a strong showing so soon. Nonetheless, he insisted it remained a formidable force capable of reshaping Nigeria’s political future.

His declaration comes amid speculations that he was considering stepping aside, after Prof. Ola Olateju of Achievers University, who represented him at a defection event in Lagos, suggested Atiku was less interested in personal ambition.

Atiku has since disowned Olateju’s remarks, insisting they did not reflect his views.

“When people stand in for me at events, we preview my thoughts on the subject. In this particular instance, there was no engagement with me. Prof. Olateju was not speaking for me,” he clarified.

Reaffirming his ambition, Atiku said: “I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned. The level of poverty, pain, and anguish in our country is unacceptable.”

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By: Fabian Apechihin

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win re-election in 2027, regardless of who emerges as the next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, made this known in an interview with The Sun, stressing that the APC is unbothered about the identity of Yakubu Mahmood’s successor as INEC chairman.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure is expected to expire later this year, with consultations already ongoing to find his replacement.

Responding to insinuations that the APC may attempt to influence the process, Basiru dismissed such claims.

“How can you be asking a player to recommend a referee? We are players and don’t care which referee is brought to officiate the match,” he said.

He further clarified that civil society groups and the National Assembly hold the responsibility of recommending a new INEC chairman.

Basiru insisted that Tinubu’s re-election chances rest on the ruling party’s capacity to mobilise voters.

“In fact, by the time we mobilise, even if the new INEC chairman is the father of another party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju will still win,” he declared.

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By: Fabian Apechihin

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum is holding a closed-door session at the Zamfara State Government House, Gusau.

While the agenda has not been officially disclosed, the meeting is expected to focus on national issues, party strategy, and preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Discussions will also centre on the upcoming PDP National Convention, scheduled for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The gathering offers the governors a platform to deliberate on party unity, strengthen internal cohesion, and explore developmental collaborations across their states.

Details shortly…

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