Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has confirmed that he will not seek Nigeria’s presidency beyond the 2027 general election, describing the upcoming contest as his final attempt.
Atiku, who has remained a recurring contender in presidential elections since 1992, made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, April 15.
“The 2027 election will be my last outing”, he said.
Responding to questions about why Nigerians should support him again after several failed bids, and concerns around his age, Atiku said Nigeria’s core challenge lies in leadership quality rather than individual ambition.
He argued that his experience as a former Vice President and former military administrator distinguishes him from President Bola Tinubu, particularly in handling governance complexities.
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“There is a clear and stark difference, take the cases if state governors in a number of state being headed by relatively young people and failing woefully simply because at the apex, they do not have capable and experienced president to guide them and to give them the benefit of his experience.
That’s why we have been having a number of woeful leadership in a number if state because they are being headed by inexperienced young men,” he said.
Atiku further linked some of Nigeria’s past governance challenges to what he described as gaps in leadership experience at the federal level, including during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He also called for deliberate investment in leadership training for younger Nigerians, stressing that the country needs structured preparation for future leaders rather than repeated reliance on electoral trial and error.