Coalition: Atiku Finally Breaks Silence Amid Pressure to Step Down for Southern Candidate

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has firmly denied attending any meeting where he was allegedly pressured to step down from the 2027 presidential race in favour of a southern candidate.

The denial comes amid the formation of a new opposition coalition, which recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform for the 2027 general elections. Key political figures reportedly involved in the alliance include Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Tambuwal, and Nasir El-Rufai, all united in a bid to challenge the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Following the announcement of the coalition, speculations began circulating that some northern politicians were under pressure to yield the presidential ticket to a southern aspirant as a strategy to defeat Tinubu.

Reacting through his Media Office, Atiku described the claims as “not only false; it is laughably desperate.” He insisted that no such meeting took place and that the report was a fabricated lie manufactured by allies of the APC-led government.

The statement reads:

“In response to recent inquiries from journalists and concerned Nigerians regarding a phantom meeting where His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, was said to have ‘rejected calls to step down for a southern candidate,’ we are compelled to set the record straight in the strongest possible terms:

There was no such meeting. Atiku Abubakar was never in attendance. The entire story is a malicious fabrication — pure fiction cooked up in the propaganda kitchens of the Tinubu-led APC regime.

It is not only false; it is laughably desperate.”

The former Vice President’s team further accused the ruling party of attempting to create confusion and division within the newly formed opposition.

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“This is nothing but a diversionary tactic — an attempt by a faltering administration to sow discord within the opposition ranks and derail the momentum gained by the successful unveiling of the ADC as the coalition’s political vehicle.

Let it be known: No amount of propaganda, planted stories, or faceless briefings will fracture the resolve of the opposition coalition. We are united, focused, and determined to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of this rudderless government.”

They also reaffirmed growing national support for the ADC, describing it as the “most credible and viable opposition platform ahead of 2027.”

“We want to remind the ruling party that Nigerians have already embraced the ADC as the most credible and viable opposition platform ahead of 2027. The massive and growing support that the ADC continues to enjoy across the country is not just encouraging – it is a clear signal that the Tinubu administration is living on borrowed time.

We call on Nigerians and the media to treat the so-called ‘statement’ with the contempt it deserves. It bears no attribution, no credibility, and no truth.”

As the 2027 elections approach, political tensions continue to rise, and the opposition appears determined to present a united front against the ruling APC, with Atiku now making it clear that he has not been asked, nor has he agreed, to step aside.