A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and publisher, Dele Momodu, has rejected calls for former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, describing the campaign against him as “unbridled chicanery.”
Momodu spoke on Saturday in response to an appeal by activist and supporter of Peter Obi, Zekeri Idris Jnr, who had urged Atiku to step aside for younger candidates, citing concerns over his projected age of 80 by 2027.
In a post on X, Momodu said critics were misdirecting their energy instead of holding the ruling government accountable.
“Instead of making videos against the ruling government, you’re dissipating energy on a man who has never wronged your preferred candidate,” he said.
The publisher listed several global figures he said served effectively at an advanced age, including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Muhammadu Buhari, Nelson Mandela, Nana Akufo-Addo, Hillary Clinton, and Joseph Boakai.
He said they all “made good use of their age and experience for the betterment of their nations.”
“What disqualifies Alhaji Atiku Abubakar please!” Momodu asked.
The reaction followed a viral video in which Idris, dressed in a green traditional outfit, urged Atiku’s allies to persuade him to withdraw from the race.
Idris argued that Nigeria’s current challenges require a different kind of energy, insisting that young voters would not support an 80-year-old candidate regardless of his running mate.
“If he likes, let him go and bring angels from heaven as his running mate — not even Peter Obi. We won’t vote for an 80-year-old man,” he said.
He also urged Atiku to assume an elder statesman role by supporting younger contenders such as Obi and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, rather than contesting.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the PDP and lost to President Bola Tinubu, is said to be considering the ADC ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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