The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims that he has dropped his plan to run for president in 2027, saying the reports are untrue and misleading.
His response followed media reports alleging that the former vice president, now linked with the African Democratic Congress, had stepped aside in favour of Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
According to the reports, Atiku was said to have endorsed Obi for a single-term presidency, with claims that he recognised the importance of achieving a so-called “regional balance” in the country’s leadership arrangement.
However, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, dismissed the story, describing it as “fake news.”
Reacting on Saturday evening, December 27, Ibe shared a screenshot of the report on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account and wrote: “Fake news: Not on the menu!”
In a related development, Atiku criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over its proposed tax reforms.
Speaking at a State of the Nation press conference held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the former vice president said Nigerians were already suffering from “waste, corruption, mismanagement and policy arrogance.”
He added that the Tinubu-led government should not “fix government failure by billing the victims,” while also outlining five key demands from the opposition coalition.
