Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed claims that he is desperate to become Nigeria’s president, insisting his focus is on building a better, safer and more prosperous nation.
Speaking on Saturday at a Lagos ceremony where defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) were formally welcomed into the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku addressed critics who argue that he should step aside for younger politicians.
Represented by Prof. Ola Olateju of Achievers University, Ondo, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate emphasized that his political journey is not driven by personal ambition but by the need to rescue Nigeria from its current challenges.
“Atiku Abubakar’s plan is to build a better Nigeria. It’s not about him being president. It’s about having a good government that can deliver for Nigerians,” Olateju said on his behalf. “It’s not about Atiku having to be president at all costs.”
The former vice-president, who has faced repeated accusations of desperation in his presidential bids, stressed that the ADC should be viewed not merely as a political party but as a movement of Nigerians united by the goal of ending bad governance and repositioning the country for greatness.
On the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, he assured that no candidate would be imposed. “Whoever emerges through free and fair contests, we will all support. The point is a better Nigeria, not Atiku for president at all costs,” he declared.
He added that the eventual candidate would embody the collective aspirations of Nigerians.
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