I’ll keep contesting for presidency, says Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria, has declared he will continue to run for the oval office as long as his health permits.

Additionally, he said that the narrative of Abraham Lincoln, a previous American president who had to run for office multiple times before winning, served as an inspiration.

"I will definitely continue to run for office as long as I am alive and well," Atiku declared in an interview on Voice of America's Hausa programme in Abuja.

The 77-year-old ran for president in both the 2019 and 2023 elections on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Gangs fight and set fire to a market in Lagos.1:12 / 0:12

In 2019 and 2023, he was defeated by current President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari respectively.
When the next presidential election takes place in 2027, Atiku, who was Olusegun Obasanjo's vice president from 1999 to 2007, will be eighty-one years old.

The former vice president declared he would "keep contesting" for the top spot till his health permitted, notwithstanding the age factor.
"Even Abraham Lincoln, the former US President, had to run seven times before he was victorious," he remarked.

But, it is evident that a lone effort will not be enough to win the election given the PDP's current situation. Strong assistance and cooperation from various parties are needed.

Atiku, meanwhile, recently declared that he would be happy to support Peter Obi if his party determines in 2027 that it is the South-East's turn and chooses him as its candidate.

"I have stated time and time again, and even prior to the general elections in 2023, that I will not run for president if the PDP chooses to allocate the ticket to the South or South-East explicitly. I will follow the party's decision as long as it is made. However, I ran for the 2023 presidential ticket because it was available to all party members.

In a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service, Atiku said, "I won't hesitate to support Peter Obi if the party decides that it's the turn of the South-East."

In response to inquiries over his meeting with Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for 2023, Atiku stated, "It's just a routine friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”
Regarding the possibility of a merger resulting from this, he stated that it is quite probable. Together, we can accomplish our shared objective. Thus, if that is what we want to accomplish, then nothing can stop it from happening.