*Accuses anti-democratic elements of being behind the rumour
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the claim that he has stepped aside from the 2027 presidential race and from active politics, describing such it as ‘entirely false and misleading’.
Atiku, in a statement from his Media office on Monday, pointed out that an issue as fundamental and consequential as exiting active politics cannot, and would never, be communicated through rumours, faceless sources, or third-party fabrication.
Such a decision, if ever taken, he stated, would be formally conveyed through his Media Office.
According to him, this latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum and mislead the Nigerian public.
The statement therefore urged all supporters of Atiku Abubakar, members of the ADC, and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard “this fake news in its entirety” and remain focused on the collective effort to “reclaim and rebuild our nation”.
The statement reads, “We wish to state, for the record, that information circulating on social media about a purported meeting of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, with stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in which the former Vice President allegedly decided to step aside and retire from active politics is entirely false and deliberately misleading.
“The Waziri Adamawa has not, in recent times, held any such meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level.
“The only recent engagement he had was with stakeholders of the ADC in Adamawa State last Thursday.
“An issue as fundamental and consequential as exiting active politics cannot, and would never, be communicated through rumours, faceless sources, or third-party fabrication.
“Such a decision, if ever taken, would be formally conveyed through the Atiku Media Office.
“This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public.
“Only the government and its agents could have sponsored this desperate narrative out of fear of what is coming.
‘We state without equivocation that this mischief is being driven by anti-democratic elements who are deeply unsettled by the growing national consensus to rescue Nigeria from the failures of the current administration.
“We therefore urge supporters of Atiku Abubakar, members of the ADC, and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard this fake news in its entirety and remain focused on the collective effort to reclaim and rebuild our nation”, the statement concluded.
