Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied reports that he plans to step down for another presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement on Thursday, his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, described the claims as a misrepresentation of Atiku’s recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.
“After a thorough review of both the video and transcripts of the interview – in the original Hausa and English translation – it is evident that at no point did the former Vice President state, suggest, or even imply that he intends to step down for anyone,” the statement read.
According to Ibe, Atiku only emphasised that young people and other aspirants are free to join the contest, and that if a younger candidate were to emerge through a competitive primary, he would support such a candidate without hesitation.
“While interpretative journalism is a legitimate aspect of reporting, stretching interpretation to the point of mischief is unacceptable,” he added.
Many media outlets had earlier reported that in the BBC Hausa interview, Atiku said he would accept defeat and support a younger candidate if one emerged to secure his party’s presidential ticket in 2027.
“If I run for office and a young man defeats me, I will accept that. The party we have joined now prioritises youth and women,” Atiku had said.
