According to a report by Business Day on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied attending any meeting where he was urged to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race in favour of a southern candidate.
Business Day reports that Atiku, along with Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Tambuwal, and Nasir El-Rufai, recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the platform for an opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Following the coalition’s formation, rumours emerged claiming Atiku and other northern politicians were under pressure to back a southern candidate.
In a statement, Atiku’s Media Office dismissed these reports as completely false and described them as desperate fabrications.
The statement read: “In response to recent inquiries from journalists and concerned Nigerians about a phantom meeting where His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, was said to have ‘rejected calls to step down for a southern candidate,’ we must set the record straight:
“There was no such meeting. Atiku Abubakar was never in attendance. The entire story is a malicious fabrication — pure fiction from the propaganda kitchens of the Tinubu-led APC regime.
“It is not only false but laughably desperate. This is simply a diversionary tactic by a struggling administration seeking to sow discord within the opposition and derail the momentum gained by the successful unveiling of the ADC as our coalition’s platform.
“No amount of propaganda, planted stories, or anonymous briefings will break the unity and resolve of the opposition. We remain focused and determined to rescue Nigeria from this rudderless government.
“Nigerians have already embraced the ADC as the most credible alternative ahead of 2027. Its growing nationwide support clearly signals that the Tinubu administration is living on borrowed time.
“We urge Nigerians and the media to disregard this so-called ‘statement.’ It lacks attribution, credibility, and truth.”
Love Reading Authentic News Stories, Click The Button Below
