Party Chieftain Replies Kwankwaso, Speaks on Atiku Quitting 2027 Race

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chille Igbawua, has rejected calls by Rabiu Kwankwaso for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.

Igbawua said Atiku’s age and health should not be used as reasons to question his ability to govern Nigeria.

He made the position known during an interview on Arise Television while reacting to Kwankwaso’s recent comments on the former vice president.

Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, had asked Atiku to step aside from the 2027 contest.

The former Kano State governor said Atiku should focus on his traditional responsibilities as the Wazirin Adamawa because of his age and health.

Kwankwaso also said he and Peter Obi would take care of Atiku if their political camp wins the 2027 presidential election.

Responding, Igbawua described the argument over Atiku’s age and health as misplaced.

“I do not know where he has data on Atiku’s health. Atiku has not changed his age, but whether at that age he cannot govern is a totally different thing.

“I know people who say they are younger than Atiku who don’t appear to have the agility, mental capacity and sagacity that Atiku has. So, it is not the age you count on paper. Age also goes with the state of health, and I’m not seeing any of those as being a deficit on the part of Atiku Abubakar.”

The ADC chieftain said the question should be whether a presidential candidate is capable of performing the responsibilities of the office rather than simply focusing on the number of years he has lived.

His comments came after Kwankwaso urged people from Adamawa to persuade Atiku to abandon his presidential ambition.

Kwankwaso had said: “Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health.”

He added: “If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him.”

Igbawua took particular exception to the suggestion that Atiku could be “taken care of” if he gave up his presidential ambition.

He described the remark as disrespectful to the former vice president and warned that such comments could further widen divisions among opposition politicians.

He said: “To suggest that Atiku should step down so that if they win they will take care of him, how? That is an insult. Take care of him in what way? You want to pay his hospital bills? You want to provide food in his house?

“I think it is absolutely irresponsible, to say the least. It has done a lot of damage because it is creating a gulf.”

Igbawua, however, said the ADC was not shutting its doors to further discussions with other opposition groups.

He maintained that despite political differences, dialogue remained necessary if opposition parties wanted to explore areas of cooperation.

“At all times, we are ready for dialogue. Whether it will succeed or not is a different thing. But at least it gives the opportunity for the opposition to come together,” he said.

Igbawua has continued to defend the former vice president’s political strength.

In July, he rejected claims that Atiku had no realistic chance of defeating President Tinubu in 2027.

He also dismissed arguments that a potential Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would automatically be stronger than the Atiku-led ADC ticket.

He argued that Atiku’s running mate and the complete presidential ticket should also be considered when comparing the candidates.

Igbawua had specifically pointed to former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as a major political figure who could add strength to the ADC ticket.

He said: “I believe that it is absolutely faulty to suggest that an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket is stronger than an Atiku-Rotimi Amaechi ticket. Certainly not.”

The ADC chieftain also defended Atiku’s political record, noting that the former vice president had previously contested against some of the politicians now challenging his candidacy.

He said: “Yes, he has good standing. That the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket. Certainly, certainly. I mean, they’ve contested against one another in the past and he came out top.”

Atiku has previously indicated that the 2027 election could be his final attempt at becoming president.

The former vice president has remained a major figure in Nigeria’s opposition politics after several attempts to secure the presidency.

His most recent presidential contests were under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2019 and 2023.

He lost the 2019 election to former President Muhammadu Buhari and came second behind Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

For the 2027 race, Atiku has moved to the ADC, where he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.

Kwankwaso and Obi, meanwhile, have formed a separate political alliance under the NDC.

With the opposition now divided between competing platforms, the question of whether the parties can eventually reach an accommodation remains one of the major issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Igbawua said the ADC remained confident of its chances despite the emergence of rival opposition candidates.

“We would defeat the incumbent and change the country. I say that confidently. I’m not being rhetorical,” he declared.