ABUJA — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that the 2027 presidential election will be his final attempt to become Nigeria’s president, ruling out any plan to contest the office again in 2031.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, made the declaration in a Hausa-language interview on Wednesday while responding to a question on whether he would seek another presidential bid if he failed to win the 2027 election.

“No, I have said it before, right from this election, I will not contest again,” he said.

Atiku, who has sought the presidency several times, also urged Nigerians with Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, to turn out in large numbers to vote in the 2027 election, describing active participation as critical to changing the country’s situation.

He advised voters to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots and follow the counting process to ensure that their votes were properly recorded.

“First of all, I appeal to those who have voter cards, for their own sake, their families, and their future, to go out and vote. That is the solution to the problems they are facing.

“After going out to vote, they should also stay, escort, and ensure that those votes are counted,” Atiku said.

The ADC candidate also dismissed concerns about his ability to cope with the demands of the presidency, insisting that he remained physically fit and capable of governing the country.

“No doctor has declared that I am unfit in terms of health. I know my body, I know I am healthy, and I do not have a single defect,” he said.

Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has explained that his decision to work with former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, on the 2027 presidential ticket was driven by the need to provide Nigerians with competent and accountable leadership.

Kwankwaso, in a message to Nigerians on the commencement of the 2027 presidential campaign, said the country was at a critical crossroads, citing rising living costs, unemployment, insecurity and inadequate investment in education, healthcare and infrastructure.

He said millions of Nigerians, particularly young people, were struggling to find meaningful employment, while businesses were facing high operating costs and an uncertain economic environment.

According to him, insecurity has also continued to threaten communities, with terrorism, banditry and kidnapping resulting in the loss of lives, homes and livelihoods.

“Our farmers need security to return to their farms, our children need safe schools, and every Nigerian deserves to live without fear,” he said.

Kwankwaso said the challenges confronting the country were serious but insisted that Nigeria had the human and material resources required to build a prosperous and secure nation.

He said what was needed was leadership with “competence, courage and commitment” to place the interests of Nigerians above personal considerations.

Explaining his decision to partner with Obi, Kwankwaso said: “This is why I have chosen to work with His Excellency, Peter Obi, on the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.

“Our partnership is not about region, religion or personal ambition. It is about Nigeria.”

He said the partnership was founded on the belief in a Nigeria where government serves the people, hard work is rewarded, young Nigerians can build successful futures in the country and every citizen has a fair opportunity to prosper.

Kwankwaso called on young people, women, workers, farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals to join the political movement, urging Nigerians to move beyond divisive politics and focus on issues affecting their daily lives.

He also urged voters to demand accountability, competence and measurable results from public office holders.

“The 2027 election presents Nigerians with an opportunity to choose a new direction,” he said.

Kwankwaso appealed to Nigerians to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket and candidates of the NDC, while urging supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully and responsibly.

“Let us campaign peacefully, responsibly and with the national interest at heart. “Together, we can build a stronger nation and Nigeria will be OK,” he said.

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s victory in the 1999 presidential election was largely secured by votes from northern Nigeria.

According to Tribune, Atiku made the assertion while speaking with journalists on Wednesday as the long-running disagreement between him and his former boss over their time in office resurfaced.

The former vice president said Obasanjo lacked sufficient electoral support in his home state and the South-West to win the election without substantial backing from the North.

“In 1999, he could not even win his own state or the South-West; it was Arewa that made him President. He possesses no electoral value,” Atiku said.

His comments came in response to Obasanjo’s recent criticism of their political partnership. The former president had described picking Atiku as his running mate in 1999 as the “biggest mistake” of his presidency.

Obasanjo also accused his former deputy of disloyalty and alleged that Atiku was involved in moves to remove him from office during their time in government.

Atiku has dismissed Obasanjo’s version of events, accusing the former president of presenting a distorted account of their political history and using the dispute for political purposes ahead of the 2027 election.

The ADC candidate has also defended his contribution to the 1999 victory, recalling his support for Obasanjo following the latter’s release from prison and his role in building the political machinery that eventually produced their joint ticket.

Turning to the 2027 election, Atiku said empowering young Nigerians had been an important part of his political record.

He said several people who benefited from opportunities provided during his tenure as vice president later occupied prominent positions, including governorships, ministerial appointments and senior public offices.

Atiku said he would replicate and expand such opportunities if elected president in 2027, promising to give younger Nigerians greater access to leadership and public service.

The former vice president is seeking the presidency on the ADC platform as part of a broader opposition effort aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.