The All Progressives Congress has waved off the reported plan by the Peoples Democratic Occasion presidential candidate within the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, to contest the 2027 election.
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, described Atiku’s 2027 ambition as probably the most laughable information of 2024. He stated the previous vice-president could be defeated once more.
The spokesperson for the ex-vice president, Daniel Bwala, had on Tuesday night time confirmed that his principal would contest once more the presidential election in 2027.
Atiku tried to grow to be Nigeria’s President six instances however was unsuccessful in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.
After the Supreme Court docket affirmed President Bola Tinubu because the winner of the 2023 election through which he got here second, Atiku hinted that he was not retiring from politics and pledged his readiness to proceed to form the democratic discourse.
He had stated, “As for me and my social gathering, this section of our work is completed. Nonetheless, I’m not going away. For so long as I breathe, I’ll proceed to wrestle with different Nigerians to deepen our democracy and rule of regulation and for the form of political and financial restructuring, the nation wants to achieve its true potential.
“That wrestle ought to now be led by the youthful generations of Nigeria who’ve much more stake than my era.”
However talking in an interview on Channels tv on Tuesday night time, Bwala described Atiku because the president Nigeria by no means had.
Responding to a query on whether or not Atiku would contest within the 2027 presidential election, the lawyer stated, “Positive, he would run. He has the capability, he has the knowledge, he has the information, he has the vitality.
,”And he’s a president we by no means had. As a result of to be trustworthy with you, if any politician understands the non-public sector very effectively, it’s Atiku Abubakar and our financial system can solely come alive if there’s a non-public sector-led financial system. He’s the president the nation is lacking due to his expertise and capability.’’
Commenting on Bwala’s disclosure, the PDP Deputy Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, stated it was a welcome growth, however countered the insinuation that the 2027 presidential ambition of some leaders would possibly put the social gathering in limbo, including that the PDP should impress, harmonize, and mobilize assist forward of 2027.
PDP commends Atiku
Abdullahi in a chat with considered one of our correspondents, acknowledged, “It( PDP) is a political social gathering. The last word goal and purpose of a political social gathering is to provide management. So, if individuals are serious about vying for the presidency, governorship, Senate, or no matter workplace in 2027 on the platform of the PDP, I don’t assume they need to start to mobilise as a result of that’s a technique you possibly can hold a political social gathering going.”
On the timing, he stated “You can not simply get up within the morning and instruct individuals to not nurse ambition. Then, it isn’t a political social gathering. I perceive the query to imply in the event that they proceed to advertise their political ambition, it will likely be to the detriment of the political social gathering; no, that’s not appropriate.
“What I do know as a politician: Politics is about ambition, politics is about pursuits. So, if individuals begin jostling for energy now, forward of 2027 as you see it, it isn’t too early.
“There’s a necessity for them to cross the file and rank to make sure that they advertise in a wholesome ambiance, and that can hold the political social gathering afloat. So, I’m of the view that it’s a wholesome growth. They need to be allowed to do it as soon as it’s throughout the confines of the regulation.
“We’re not simply anticipating individuals to go campaigning now or rallying for assist, however what they wish to do is to advertise the social gathering and to have the ability to point out curiosity in sure workplaces. It’s a wholesome growth.”
Nonetheless, the APC publicity director Wednesday Atiku would lose the 2027 presidential election closely. In keeping with him, the previous Vice-President doesn’t have any political worth.
On whether or not Atiku’s ambition is a menace to the APC, Ibrahim stated “Our social gathering, which is the All Progressive Congress, thrashed Atiku not as soon as, not twice. Even after we thought he had the vitality and little credibility to make him viable to Nigerians, we defeated him utterly.
“How can somebody who’s simply attempting to regain his steadiness be a menace to the APC come 2027? That’s unthinkable; Atiku can by no means be a menace to the APC. He wasn’t a menace when he had little worth. How can he be a menace when he’s already worthless? It’s a dream that won’t come to cross.’’
The social gathering spokesman suggested the ex-VP to stop politics, noting that he was being misled by his aides and political associates.
APC chides ex-VP
Ibrahim added, “Atiku ought to higher neglect about politics utterly. I believe that is the creativeness of Bwala and some others round him. And it solely goes to inform you that Atiku is surrounded by individuals who mislead him as a result of anyone who has actual emotions and concern for Atiku is not going to advise him to run towards Tinubu once more; not within the far future.
“This isn’t a difficulty of concern to the APC in any respect. Atiku will not be a power to reckon with. He has by no means been a power to reckon with and he can’t be in 2027 when he will need to have diminished by way of political worth. We’ve not gotten to the bridge, however after we get there we are going to cross it.”
Some opposition political events agreed that Atiku had the correct to pursue his presidential ambition in 2027.
The New Nigeria Individuals’s Occasion famous that although Atiku reserved the correct to aspire to any political workplace of his selection, 2027 seems too distant to warrant a dialog but.
The spokesman for the NNPP Presidential Marketing campaign Council within the 2023 election, Ladipo Johnson, reasoned that a number of occasions would possibly occur between now and 2027 that might render the dialog across the topic pointless.
He stated, “Daniel Bwala has the correct to say no matter he needs concerning the ambition of his principal however it’s left for Nigerians to determine what they need. 12 months 2027 is a protracted approach to go and I believe it will likely be improper to begin a dialog round it. It’s too early.
“In equity to him, Atiku has the correct to contest as many instances as he needs. From now to 2027, so much could occur. Let’s see how occasions play out.”
‘Assist Obi’
However the spokesman for the 2023 Labour Occasion Presidential Marketing campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday stated Nigerians had been bored with Atiku and others from the “previous inventory.”
Tanko, who stated Obi would contest the 2027 presidential election, stated the previous Anambra State governor needed to see Nigeria working for all.
He stated “Anyone who needs to point out ambition and begin constructing in the meanwhile, it’s the particular person’s elementary rights. However, we imagine that we’ve got the curiosity of individuals at coronary heart. And the individuals are tilting in direction of us, particularly the Nigerian youths. They’re bored with the previous inventory.
“So even when anyone coming from the previous inventory nonetheless needs to run for election, we want him all the most effective. Nevertheless it may have been higher for them to assist a youthful era like Peter Obi within the type of uniting this nation in order that we are able to transfer ahead collectively. That can have made extra sense and extra appreciative to the Nigerian individuals in the meanwhile.
When requested whether or not Obi would contest the 2027 election, he stated “ That one is certain. There isn’t any ambiguity on that, that one is certain.”
He acknowledged, “Obi prefers to see a Nigeria that’s working, it isn’t his ambition that’s most paramount. His curiosity is to see Nigeria working for everyone.”
Nonetheless, the Nationwide Secretary of the Social Democratic Occasion, Mr Olu Agunloye, argued that there was nothing incorrect with the ambition of the previous vice chairman.
“The correct to run for an election is reserved for all certified Nigerians, together with Atiku, and in 2027, lots of people will throw their hats within the ring. So, I don’t see something incorrect with the aspiration of Atiku to run for the Presidency once more.
“Sure, after dropping his case on the Supreme Court docket, he known as on the opposition to shut ranks to face an opportunity of dislodging the APC. That was a very good name. However if you’re asking for the place of the SDP on this, there isn’t a manner our social gathering will assist Atiku as a result of we are going to discipline a presidential candidate come 2027,” he stated.
In his normal blunt fashion, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Motion African Alliance, Omoyele Sowore, dismissed Atiku’s possibilities in 2027, noting that although he’s more likely to contest, he would lose once more.
“Atiku is a serial contestant and a serial loser. He’s acquired nothing to supply now or sooner or later,” Sowore stated.
The Govt Director, YouthHub Africa, Rotimi Olawale, stated the ex-VP was inside his rights to contest once more, including, nevertheless, that older politicians ought to quite assist and get behind youthful aspirants.
“A authorities has barely even spent the primary 12 months in workplace. I believe it’s too early to foretell what can occur over the subsequent 4 years. Atiku is inside his rights to contest the Presidency in 2027.
“My greatest recommendation could be that most of the previous of us ought to yield the ground and assist a youthful era of leaders to emerge throughout Nigeria,” he admonished.
Additionally in his contribution, the Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the Younger Progressives Occasion, Wale Egbeola- Martins, stated, “It’s throughout the constitutional rights of any certified Nigerian to aspire for the very best workplace within the land simply as it’s throughout the rights of electorates to reject or settle for any particular person by the poll.
“It’s too early within the day to begin speculating whether or not Atiku Abubakar will contest in 2027 as the duty earlier than us now’s making certain good governance by holding the federal government in energy accountable.
“Whereas Atiku is eminently certified to contest in 2027, the place of the YPP has at all times been that younger, visionary, dynamic, and mentally progressive people with out greed must be supported to management in any respect ranges together with changing into the President, therefore successfully excluding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as an choice.’’
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