Supporters of Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, have responded to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's declaration that he will not yield to any candidate in his bid to obtain the African Democratic Congress nomination for the 2027 presidential election.
The Obedient Movement, Obi's group of devoted followers, rejected Atiku's stance as "mental tactics," maintaining that their leader would never be involved in the corrupt politics of vote buying or financial incentives for delegates that are common in Nigerian political party primaries.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the National Coordinator of the group and Obi's former campaign advisor, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, stated that Obi's political philosophy was in clear opposition to the transactional politics that other politicians have made routine.
He stated, "I'm pleased that Atiku is expressing his thoughts openly. It indicates that there are aspects we can hold him responsible for. However, Peter Obi is ready to introduce a fresh political ideology into the system."
I can state with certainty that an Obi will never participate in a primary election where he must purchase the delegates. We are aware that this is the standard practice in other groups.
It is a reality that in present-day Nigeria, delegates at every primary are being bought. It is even done in dollars rather than naira. And for those of us who wish to offer hope to the younger generation, who may not have stolen or received large sums from governors' funds, how can we inspire them?
On Wednesday, during an interview with BBC Hausa, Atiku stated he was ready to participate in the ADC presidential primaries but would withdraw if a younger candidate beat him.
The former vice president stated it was still too early to comment on whether he would appear on the ballot in 2027.
"This marks just the start. Our focus is to form the party and build a solid base of support," Atiku stated when questioned about his candidacy.
"If I decide to run for a position, and a young individual surpasses me, I will be fine with that. The party we are part of now focuses on youth and women," he further stated.
When questioned whether there were concerns that he might leave the ADC in the future, Atiku rejected these suggestions.
No, I'm not recognized for that," he said, shaking his head. "If I say so, then I will take that path," he continued, gesturing with his hand, indicating that he was "a man of one Qibla.
The interview created a significant impact within the political arena, with numerous individuals expressing the view that Atiku should not contest in 2027 but instead support a younger contender.
In response to Atiku's announcement, Shehu Sani, a former senator for Kaduna Central, stated that it would be challenging for any candidate to beat Atiku if he reaches the party primaries.
Sani brought up the issues in a post using his official X account on Thursday.
He stated, "His Excellency the Waziri reportedly mentioned he would withdraw if a younger contender secures the primaries... The key term here is PRIMARIES... It's more feasible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to defeat the Waziri in primaries. Party delegates are a unique group of individuals."
Some hours after the BBC Hausa started gaining attention, Atiku's media advisor, Paul Ibe, released a statement, emphasizing that the Vice President has no intention of resigning for anyone.
It was clarified that a thorough examination of both the video and the interview transcripts revealed that Atiku never stated, indicated, or hinted that he planned to resign for anyone.
He stated, "After a detailed examination of both the video and the interview's transcripts, in the original Hausa and the English translation, it is clear that at no time did the former Vice President explicitly say, indicate, or even hint that he plans to resign for anyone."
What Atiku Abubakar explicitly and clearly stated was that youth, along with other potential presidential candidates, are allowed to participate in the competition. He also emphasized that if a young candidate were to win through a fair selection process, he would wholeheartedly back that candidate without any doubt.
Although interpretative journalism is a valid part of reporting, taking interpretation to the extent of causing harm is not acceptable and should not be promoted.
Regarding the record, the suggestions linked to Waziri Adamawa from his BBC Hausa interview are incorrect and do not represent what he truly stated.
The ADC, launched in July as the coalition aimed at contesting President Bola Tinubu's bid for re-election in 2027, has faced difficulties in securing formal membership from opposition leaders like Obi, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Although some politicians have later switched sides, both Obi and El-Rufai have continued to stay within their original parties even though they align with the coalition.
Obi stated he would not be rushed into leaving the Labour Party for the ADC until he is completely prepared.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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