Faisal Salisu DambattaFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday refuted claims suggesting he is willing to withdraw in favor of another presidential candidate.
In a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Atiku was heard stating that he would abandon his 2027 presidential aspirations if a younger and dynamic Nigerian secures the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary election.
This interview sparked speculation that the former vice president might exit the presidential race.
In response to the interview, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, issued a statement clarifying that the widely circulated video was misinterpreted.
The statement reads: “After a comprehensive review of both the video and transcripts of the interview – in the original Hausa and the English translation – it is clear that at no point did the former Vice President explicitly state, suggest, or even imply that he plans to step down for anyone.
“What Atiku Abubakar clearly and unequivocally expressed was that young individuals, along with other potential presidential candidates, are welcome to participate in the contest.
“He also emphasized that if a young candidate were to emerge from a competitive primary, he would fully support such a candidate without any reservations.
“While interpretative journalism is a valid component of reporting, distorting interpretations to the point of mischief is unacceptable and should not be condoned.
“Therefore, for the record, the insinuations attributed to Waziri Adamawa from his BBC Hausa interview are incorrect and do not accurately represent his statements.
