Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that none of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will withdraw from the race for the party’s ticket.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused “agents aligned to the Presidency” of attempting to destabilise the ADC by prescribing who should emerge as its presidential candidate.
Other aspirants on the ADC platform include former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Atiku alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has been working to weaken opposition parties since 2023.
He stressed that the ADC is on a mission to rescue Nigeria, and he and other “committed patriots” are central to that effort.
Opposition Under Pressure
Atiku argued that any call for him to step aside would amount to “a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people.”
He said: “True to form, this administration has not only inflicted widespread hardship but has pursued a calculated effort to eliminate political alternatives. The objective is clear: a creeping, de facto one-party state.”
According to him, the Tinubu administration’s most disturbing achievement has been the systematic weakening of opposition parties, leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) standing alone “by default, not by merit.”
He noted that patriotic leaders rallied around the ADC early as the nucleus of a credible national alternative.
ADC’s Democratic Resolve
Atiku accused agents aligned with the Presidency of trying to destabilise the ADC by interfering in its internal affairs.
“Let it be stated plainly: the ADC is on a national rescue mission. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, alongside other committed patriots, is central to this effort. Any call—overt or covert—for Atiku to ‘step aside’ is a gift to authoritarian ambition and a betrayal of the Nigerian people,” he said.
He added that the ADC has consistently affirmed its commitment to an open, transparent, and competitive process for selecting its flagbearer.
“APC proxies and external meddlers have no standing to intimidate, blackmail, or sabotage this democratic resolve,” Atiku declared.
The former vice president said the ADC is focused on building strong ward, local government, and state structures nationwide, urging disruptors to allow the party to carry out its essential work.
Obi’s Entry and Rising Tensions
Atiku pointed to the recent public declaration of ADC membership by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in Enugu as a turning point.
He said the move triggered “open boasts by a serving minister and presidential aides about plans to undermine the party. Their fear is evident.”
Atiku insisted that no aspirant will step down. “If anyone should step aside, it is President Tinubu—whose leadership has become a national liability,” he said.
He concluded: “Let there be no ambiguity: the ADC is determined to end the misfortune imposed by the Tinubu-led APC. No amount of intimidation, intrigue, or sabotage will derail this rescue mission. Nigeria will not surrender its democracy without a fight.”
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