By Eteteonline
Atiku Abubakar has stated that no 2027 presidential candidate will step down in the ADC presidential race, adding that all candidates will freely present themselves, amid remarks and rumors that the former vice president is under pressure to step aside for a southern candidate to emerge as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flagbearer in the upcoming election in 2027.
As the African Democratic Congress (ADC) prepares for the 2027 presidential election, he stated that he will not leave the party and insisted that all eligible candidates undergo an open, transparent, and competitive process.
In a statement issued by his media adviser on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Atiku urged Nigerians to oppose the All Progressives Congress’s attempts to intimidate and degrade the opposition. He also stated that President Bola Tinubu should resign if anyone should, calling his leadership a growing national liability.
He claimed that Nigerians have been through one of the most difficult times in recent memory for almost three years, a time characterized by punitive economic policies and dwindling democratic space under Tinubu.
“Any call—overt or covert—for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people. The ADC has consistently affirmed its commitment to an open, transparent, and competitive process for selecting its flagbearer. APC proxies and external meddlers have no standing to intimidate, blackmail, or sabotage this democratic resolve.
“At present, the ADC is focused on building strong ward, local government, and state structures nationwide. Disruptors and infiltrators must allow the party to do this essential work without interference.
“The party remains open and welcoming to all genuine opposition figures. This inclusiveness—not coercion—is the soul of democracy. When the time comes, all qualified aspirants will present themselves freely. No one is stepping down,” he emphasised.
“True to form, this administration has not only inflicted widespread hardship but has pursued a calculated effort to eliminate political alternatives. The objective is clear: a creeping, de facto one-party state.
“Perhaps the Tinubu administration’s most disturbing ‘achievement’ has been the systematic weakening of opposition parties, leaving the All Progressives Congress—despite its manifest failures—standing alone by default, not by merit.
“Thankfully, patriotic leaders saw this danger early and chose resistance over silence by rallying around the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the nucleus of a credible national alternative.
“Predictably, agents aligned with the presidency are now attempting to destabilise the ADC from the outside—issuing reckless prescriptions about its internal affairs, particularly the choice of a presidential candidate,” the former vice president pointed out.
“Let there be no ambiguity: the ADC is determined to end the misfortune imposed by the Tinubu-led APC. No amount of intimidation, intrigue, or sabotage will derail this rescue mission. Nigeria will not surrender its democracy without a fight,” he emphasised.
Additionally, he said that President Bola Tinubu’s operatives were determined to destabilize the ADC through internal meddling and manipulation, a strategy he claimed was intended to divert the party’s attention and weaken its unity prior to the election.
He emphasized that no kind of coercion, intimidation, or sabotage will stop the ADC’s commitment to putting an end to the alleged calamities caused by the Tinubu-led APC.
“The recent public declaration of ADC membership by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in Enugu, the political heartbeat of the Southeast, triggered open boasts by a serving minister and presidential aides about plans to undermine the party. Their fear is evident.
“The ADC has consistently affirmed its commitment to an open, transparent, and competitive process for selecting its flagbearer. APC proxies and external meddlers have no standing to intimidate, blackmail, or sabotage this democratic resolve.
All eligible candidates will openly present themselves when the time comes. Nobody is resigning. President Tinubu should resign if anyone should, as his leadership has turned into a liability to the country.
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