Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has described as fake and malicious reports claiming he was pressured to step down for a southern candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the viral claims, Atiku said no such meeting ever took place and that he was never part of any gathering where such discussions occurred. In a strongly worded statement issued by his media office, he alleged that the story was “pure fiction cooked up in the propaganda kitchens of the Tinubu-led APC regime.”
He further described the report as a phantom meeting and a diversionary tactic designed to create division within the opposition and deflect attention from the challenges confronting the current government.
“There was no such meeting. Atiku Abubakar was never in attendance. The entire story is a malicious fabrication,” the statement read.
The former VP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being desperate to undermine the growing opposition momentum, particularly following the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the coalition’s new political vehicle.
“We are united, focused, and determined to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of this rudderless government. The massive and growing support that the ADC continues to enjoy across the country is a clear signal that the Tinubu administration is living on borrowed time,” Atiku stated.
He urged Nigerians and the media to disregard the false report, emphasizing that it had no attribution, credibility, or truth.
“We call on Nigerians and the media to treat the so-called ‘statement’ with the contempt it deserves.”
Atiku reiterated the opposition’s commitment to forming a united front and delivering a credible alternative for Nigerians come 2027.