Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, citing his age and health.
Kwankwaso made the call when members of the Fulani Farmers Association visited him at his Abuja residence.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate, who described Atiku by his traditional title, Wazirin Adamawa, urged members of the group to appeal to the former vice-president to devote more attention to his traditional responsibilities rather than pursuing another presidential bid.
‘Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health,’ Kwankwaso said.
He assured the visitors that if the NDC wins the 2027 election, Atiku would be accorded respect and support. ‘If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him,’ he added.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had in April acknowledged that the 2027 election could be his final attempt at becoming Nigeria’s president.
Responding to a question on whether turning 80 by 2027 would make the stakes higher for him, Atiku said, ‘Certainly yes, because the stakes are higher and I believe that will be my last outing.’
Atiku has made several attempts to become Nigeria’s president since returning to partisan politics.
He first contested the presidency during the 1993 Social Democratic Party primaries before stepping down for the late Chief Moshood Abiola. He later contested under the Action Congress in 2007 but lost to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
In 2011, he contested the presidential primary of the Action Congress of Nigeria but was unsuccessful, while he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contested the 2019 presidential election, losing to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku again emerged as the PDP presidential candidate in 2023 but lost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former vice-president has over the years advocated restructuring, economic liberalisation and a stronger role for the private sector in driving Nigeria’s economic growth.