2027 Presidency: I can step down for Peter Obi - Atiku

By Madu Obi

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has said he could step down for Peter Obi if he (Obi) is chosen as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

It is, however, not clear if Obi, who is still a member of the Labour Party (LP) , would return to PDP to take the PDP presidential candidate in 2027.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, Atiku said he would abide by the decision of party members if they unanimously agree to zone the PDP’s presidential candidate to the South East.

Atiku said: "If the party selects Obi as the presidential candidate in 2027, I will readily offer my support to him.

“I have said repeatedly, and I even said it before the 2023 general elections, that if PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it.

"But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party. If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him.”

Atiku however added that it is too early to decide his presidential ambition or whether he would run for president in the 2027 general elections, adding that it is left for party members to decide his fate.

“I can’t make any categorical statement on the 2027 election. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go and until that time comes, let us just wait and see how it will turn out", Atiku added.

On his recent meeting with Peter Obi, Atiku stated that it could be a signal of a possibility in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, stressing that their meeting augured well for democratic governance in Nigeria.

“ I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. We are in a democratic system and don’t forget that we are the people who fought for its entrenchment.

"So, we are going to continue entrenching good governance and a sound democratic system. We would never fold our arms watching things deteriorating", he stated further.