Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has clarified that the emerging opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is not built around the ambitions of political heavyweights like himself, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, or Nasir El-Rufai.
Naija News reports that Atiku stated that it is aimed at rescuing Nigeria’s democracy from what he described as the ruling All Progressives Congress’s creeping authoritarianism and manipulation of the electoral process.
Speaking through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in an interview with Vanguard on Sunday in Abuja, Atiku stressed that the coalition’s central goal is to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic integrity, which he claimed is under threat.
“This is not an anti-Tinubu project; it is a pro-Nigerian movement. Nigerians must be the ultimate beneficiaries of this effort,” Atiku said.
The statement comes amid speculations of a looming battle for the coalition’s 2027 presidential ticket among leading political figures.
Atiku accused the APC of already laying the groundwork to manipulate the 2027 elections, pointing to the controversial appointment of a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official, who previously headed the electoral body’s IT department, as the APC’s national chairman.
He alleged, “The appointment of a former REC of INEC as the APC national chairman is deeply troubling. This isn’t just any ordinary REC; this is someone who held a strategic position, such as heading the Information Technology Department of INEC.
“This move clearly indicates that the ruling party is not interested in winning elections through due process or on the strength of their performance. Instead, they are laying the groundwork to rig the upcoming election.”
The 2023 PDP presidential candidate emphasised that the coalition’s success depends on unity among opposition leaders, warning that internal wrangling would only serve the ruling party’s interests.
“Any internal divisions would benefit those who intend on clinging to power. Those who oppose us seek to exploit any cracks within our ranks, turning them into craters. We cannot afford this. Unity is our strength,” he said.
Atiku added that the coalition is not about individuals but about rebuilding Nigeria, “This is not about individual leaders like Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, or others within the coalition. It is about the well-being and future of Nigeria. Our mission is about enabling Nigerians to recover and rebuild their nation. It’s crucial to avoid counting our chickens before they are hatched.”
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