Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria, is under a lot of pressure to give up his plans to run for president in 2027. This is because the Kwankwassiyya movement, led by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the Obidient movement, which supports former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, are joining forces ahead of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary election.
Dele Momodu, who is in charge of Atiku’s camp, is pushing hard for an Atiku/Obi ticket. However, other party members want Obi and Kwankwaso to run for the ADC in the upcoming election.
Some people in the party think that the ADC can’t win the election without Obi as the presidential candidate, while others think that Atiku is more experienced and will get more votes from the North.
Reports say that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is behind the push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket. He is also calling for the opposition to come together against President Bola Tinubu.
People who know politics say that the new push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket was meant to weaken Atiku’s hold on the opposition and stop the 2023 election from being as split up as it was.
Atiku should step down, they say
Over the weekend, it was learned that ADC members from both the North and South of the country are putting pressure on Atiku to step down for the younger generation.
Some important party members are said to be secretly contacting the former VP, while others have made their opinions known publicly.
Victor Umeh, the senator from Anambra Central, said in an interview on national TV that Atiku should step aside for younger candidates. He said that the former VP is a respected figure in Nigerian politics and has been running for president since 2003.
In the same way, Jimi Disu, a well-known media analyst, content provider, and blogger, said that President Tinubu will still win the election even if ADC runs Atiku.
He said that if Atiku agrees to step down for a younger person, he will be seen as a hero.
“Atiku would be a hero if he stepped aside; it doesn’t have to be him.” He said, “I can already guess what will happen if Atiku and Tinubu run against each other in 2027.”
Atiku’s point of view
Atiku, the PDP’s presidential candidate for 2023, has said that none of the other presidential candidates in ADC can match his electoral strength, especially in the Northern Region.
The ex-VP said that Kwankwaso no longer rules Kano and that the state is now divided between Kwankwaso and Governor Abba Yusuf.
Atiku, on the other hand, promised in public to support any candidate who wins fairly, saying, “Yes, I will step aside for any winner.”
When asked if Obi was one of them, he said, “Of course, if he is a contender, why not?”
Before the primary, the Kwankwassiyya and Obidient movements join forces against Atiku.
The newly formed Obi–Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has brought together supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso to make sure that no other candidate gets the party’s presidential ticket.
In an exclusive interview, Habibu Mohammad, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, said he was hopeful that Obi and Kwankwaso would be the ADC’s presidential and vice presidential candidates.
He said, “We are working together and talking to each other to make sure we get something done that we can all agree on.”
“I can tell you that the alignment is changing. My principal is willing to do anything that is legal to get Tinubu out of office. He is willing to take on any job.
“My principal, Kwankwaso, has agreed to let Obi take over. He is willing to do anything that will help ADC get rid of President Tinubu.
“The primary election is not going to be delegates like it was before. That’s why the Kwankwassiyya Movement and the Obidient Movement are coming together. We are working together to make sure that those who want to use dollars have a good time.
“We’re no longer going it alone; we’re joining forces now. We won’t give in to any primary that isn’t real.
“We are praying and hoping that Atiku will be a father to us all so that we can keep giving him the respect he deserves.”
Atiku, Obi, and Kwankwaso supporters can’t agree on who to vote for president.
Reports say that the fight for the ADC presidential ticket has caused a split between Atiku’s supporters and those who want Obi and Kwankwaso.
There are people who support Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s joint ticket on one side and people who support Atiku Abubakar on the other.
AbdulAziz Na’ibi Abubakar, one of Atiku’s biggest online supporters, said in a recent post on X that there would be a nationwide protest if Atiku stepped down for any other candidate.
“If Atiku chooses to step down for another candidate before 2027, there will be a nationwide protest.”
He said, “Nigerians will not settle for missing another chance to see good government and real democracy.”
A lot of people, especially Obi-Kwankwaso supporters, were angry about the post. They didn’t agree with AbdulAziz’s point of view and said that ADC can only win if Obi is on the ballot.
The Arewa Source backed up AbdulAziz’s point of view by saying on X that “Peter Obi supporters are his biggest enemies.”
“The North will not vote for any ticket that has Peter Obi on it. Insulting Atiku Abubakar is like insulting all of Northern Nigeria.
Austin Okai, a leader in the ADC, told supporters of Atiku and Obi to stop the back-and-forth between their camps in response to the media war.
Okai said that the rising rhetoric could make political tensions even worse before the next election.
