No ADC presidential aspirant will step down – Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed that no presidential aspirant in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will step down ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku said all qualified aspirants would be allowed to freely contest when the party begins its selection process.

He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to intimidate and destabilise the opposition, insisting that opposition leaders adopted the ADC to build a credible national alternative.

Atiku also dismissed reports that he was under pressure to withdraw in favour of a southern aspirant, describing such calls as harmful to democracy.

The former vice-president stressed that the ADC remains committed to an open, transparent, and inclusive process for choosing its flagbearer, adding that inclusiveness, not coercion, is the foundation of democracy.

He warned against external interference in the party’s internal affairs and vowed that the ADC would not be derailed from its “national rescue mission.”

Atiku further criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as a “national liability” marked by economic hardship and shrinking democratic space.

He said the ADC was determined to challenge the Tinubu-led APC and prevent what he described as a drift toward a one-party state in Nigeria.