2027: ‘Atiku Has Not Said He Will Run, People Are The Ones Saying He Should Run’ – Fabiyi

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oladimeji Fabiyi, has stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has not declared an intention to contest the 2027 presidency.

According to him, people are the ones putting pressure on Atiku to contest the election.

Fabiyi, who was the Director of Support Groups for the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in 2023, stated that Atiku is more focused on rescuing Nigeria from collapse and improving the lives of citizens than seeking the presidential seat for personal glory.

Naija News reports the PDP chieftain made the submission on Wednesday while featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

“Atiku is focusing on Nigeria, how to redeem and rescue Nigeria — and that is what the man is doing.

“He has never said ‘I am going to run.’ People are the ones saying he should come and run. He’s presently preoccupied with how we reclaim this country and make it better,” Fabiyi stated.

Atiku, PDP Crisis And Coalition

Speaking further, Fabiyi, who is an ally of the former Vice President, said Atiku is not responsible for the internal crisis rocking the PDP.

He added that Atiku believes the opposition needs to come together in order to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

“You see that he’s not even involving himself in all these shenanigans of the PDP anymore, and he’s still a member of the party. There is no way a single party can defeat an incumbent.

“That’s why Atiku is calling, because of his vision, saying, ‘Guys, let us come together as opposition parties’ — whether it is El-Rufai, Peter Obi or anybody — we are all in the opposition now and we need to rescue this Nigeria,” he said.

Atiku Is Fit To Run

Fabiyi, however, rubbished claims that Atiku is too old to contest the presidency, saying any challenger is welcome to pick up the gauntlet.

“Age has nothing to do with this. Why should anybody say Atiku should not run? If you want to defeat Atiku, meet him on the field,” he said.

PDP Leadership

Speaking further, the PDP chieftain criticized the leadership of the party for failing to address issues within the party at their National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday.

He argued that the PDP leadership is dodging real issues, such as the one concerning Nyesom Wike and the National Secretary position in the party.

“The outcome of the NEC meeting fell short of the expectations of party members and Nigerians. They ran away from the real issues — the national secretary issue, Wike — these are the major problems,” he said.

He lamented that the current situation does not show the PDP is ready to challenge Tinubu and the APC in the 2027 polls.

Fabiyi said, “It is clear that PDP is not ready to lead the rescue mission for Nigeria. They are not even ready to challenge the dangerous plan of Tinubu to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. It is painful and disappointing.”

He called on the party leadership to discipline those engaged in anti-party activities, adding that zoning has never been the problem in the PDP.

“Why are they allowing one man to hold the party down? Why is it so difficult to discipline him?” Fabiyi asked.

On zoning, he said, “Zoning has never been the problem of the PDP. Since 1999, the PDP has gone into nine national elections — they should tell us when zoning was actually enforced.”