The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said he would step down for Peter Obi if he is chosen as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.
Naija News reports that Obi is still a member of the Labour Party (LP) and the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
In an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Atiku said he would abide by the decision of party members if they unanimously agreed to zone the PDP’s presidential candidate to the South East.
Atiku added that if the party selects Obi as the presidential candidate in 2027, he will readily offer his support to him.
He said: “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 stated that it was too early to decide his presidential ambition or whether he would run for president in the 2027 elections, adding that party members would decide his fate.
He said, “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.
“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.
“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”
Speaking on his recent meeting with the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, Atiku stated that it could be a signal of a possibility in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
He said their meeting augured well for democratic governance in Nigeria while implying a possible alliance between the opposition parties.
The former vice president, who also dispelled claims that they couldn’t produce a consensus candidate at the meeting, couldn’t provide details as to when they would seal the alliance.
He said, “We are in a democratic system and don’t forget that we are those 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.”
