The 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a key promoter of the ADC opposition coalition, announced his plans to contest again through his spokesperson, Tunde Olusunle, during an interview.

“I will run in 2027. Nigeria needs to be decisively rescued from the intensive care unit it has been consigned to. The degeneration in our country, the level of poverty and pain, the anguish, is unacceptable. Atiku said.

“The accompanying deceit, the loss of values, the mega-scale, unimpeded thievery and the absolute lack of accountability must disturb every concerned patriot. I will be offering myself to lead the reclamation and reconstruction of our traumatised homeland,” Mr Olusunle quoted Atiku as having said, after conferring with him.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of doubts about whether the former vice-president would throw his hat in the ring again.

Read Also: Atiku Denies Desperation for Nigeria’s Presidency

Some of his allies had previously claimed that Atiku might be taking a step back from the election.

Recently, Ola Olateju, a professor, who represented Atiku at an ADC event in Lagos to receive defectors into the coalition, hinted that the former vice-president was no longer interested in contesting. This had generated speculations that Atiku might play a backseat role in brokering unity within the opposition rather than actively pursuing the presidency.

However, Atiku’s declaration is also expected to complicate ongoing negotiations within the ADC-led coalition, which is struggling to balance regional power demands and the ambitions of its leading members.

While the former vice president is positioning himself as the coalition’s northern candidate, former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, both of whom have declared their interest in contesting, are pushing for the presidential ticket to be zoned to the south.

Source: PremiumTimes