April 15, 2026
News
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has announced that the 2027 general election will be his final attempt to contest for Nigeria’s presidency.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, Atiku said the next election cycle carries greater personal significance, noting that it would mark his last bid for the nation’s top office.
“Certainly yes, because the stakes are higher. I believe that will be my last outing. So that’s incontrovertible,” he said.
The veteran politician, who will be about 80 years old by 2027, acknowledged the weight of his long political journey while defending his continued ambition.
He argued that his experience across different administrations places him in a unique position to lead Nigeria at a critical time.
“I represent both the past and the future simply because we have seen various levels of leadership in the country, both young and old, and we’re experiencing them,” Atiku stated.
He also raised concerns about the performance of younger leaders, suggesting that expectations have not been fully met and stressing the importance of guidance from more experienced figures.
“I still believe that our expectations of the young leadership are below what we thought,” he added.
Atiku further explained that leadership experience is often best gained from within government, citing his time working under former President Olusegun Obasanjo as instrumental to his development.
“What I was able to learn from President Obasanjo through his experience, I couldn’t have learned it outside,” he said.
His declaration is expected to reignite national debate around age, experience, and generational leadership as political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections begin to take shape in Nigeria.
