Amid calls from Obidients for presidential aspirants in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to step down for Peter Obi, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has firmly rejected the suggestion, insisting that no candidate in the coalition will withdraw for another
Atiku’s stance was outlined in a statement on Tuesday, signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, following comments from Obi’s supporters, including Prof Pat Utomi and Aisha Yesufu, who dismissed the idea of Obi serving as a Vice Presidential candidate in the coalition.
Describing such calls as a threat to democracy, Atiku said: “Any call—overt or covert—for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people.”
He also criticised the Bola Tinubu-led administration, accusing it of shrinking democratic space and deliberately weakening opposition parties to pave the way for what he called a “creeping, de facto one-party state.”
According to Atiku, Nigerians have endured nearly three years of harsh economic policies and restricted democratic freedoms, while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has attempted to suppress political alternatives through systematic pressure on opposition forces.
Atiku said the ADC was adopted by opposition figures to resist these trends and provide Nigerians with a credible alternative. He further alleged that individuals aligned with the Presidency are attempting to interfere in the party’s internal affairs, particularly the process of selecting a presidential candidate.
“Let it be stated plainly: the ADC is on a national rescue mission,” the statement read, stressing the party’s commitment to “an open, transparent, and competitive process” in choosing its flagbearer.
Atiku also warned against outside interference, saying, “APC proxies and external meddlers have no standing to intimidate, blackmail, or sabotage this democratic resolve.”
He added that the party is focused on strengthening its grassroots structures nationwide and urged “disruptors and infiltrators” to allow the process to continue unhindered.
Declaring that all qualified aspirants would be free to contest, Atiku stated emphatically: “No one is stepping down.” He further noted that if anyone should consider stepping aside, it should be President Tinubu, whom he described as “a national liability.”
The former vice president concluded by reaffirming the ADC’s commitment to challenging the ruling party and ending what he described as the “misfortune imposed by the Tinubu-led APC.”
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