Atiku Refuses to Step Down From ADC Race, Slams Tinubu Over Interference

By: Abudu Olalekan

Atiku Abubakar rejects pressure to quit ADC presidential race, accusing President Tinubu of destabilizing opposition parties.

So, the rumours were everywhere. You know how Abuja gossip works. Whisper, whisper. They said Atiku was tired. That he was finally going to step aside. Let a Southerner take the flag. Maybe even cut a deal with Kwankwaso. It made sense, on paper. The maths looked tight. But Atiku? He doesn’t do “sense.” He does power.

And Tuesday? He shut it all down. Hard.

In a statement put out by his media guy, Paul Ibe, the former VP made one thing crystal clear. He ain’t going anywhere. No stepping down. No “please, after you.” He’s in it to win it. And he’s pointing fingers straight at Aso Rock.

According to Reportersroom, Atiku is accusing Tinubu of trying to rig the opposition from the outside. Says the President is scared. Terrified, actually. Why? Because the ADC is suddenly looking like the only real threat left. You’ve got Peter Obi joining up. You’ve got Kwankwaso lurking. And now Atiku? It’s a nightmare scenario for Tinubu.

“Let it be stated plainly,” Atiku said. Well, he didn’t say it, his aide did, but you get the vibe. “The ADC is on a national rescue mission.” Translation: We are the Avengers, and Tinubu is Thanos. Okay, maybe that’s too much. But you feel me.

He’s not happy about the economy. Who is? “Nearly three years of harshness,” he called it. Punishing policies. Shrinking space. He says Tinubu wants a one-party state. Just him, ruling over ruins. And honestly? Looking at the state of things, he’s not entirely wrong.

Here’s the kicker. Atiku says these calls for him to quit? It’s not concerned citizens. Nah. He says it’s “agents of the Presidency.” Tinubu’s boys trying to destabilize the party. Trying to pick who runs against him.

“Any call for Atiku to step aside is a gift to authoritarian ambition,” the statement read. Ouch. That’s a low blow. He’s basically saying if you want me out, you’re a dictator’s fanboy.

And Obi? Yeah, he got a mention. Atiku noted that when Obi declared for ADC in Enugu, some minister started boasting about plans to undermine them. “Their fear is evident,” he gloated. And he’s right. You don’t send ministers to trash a party you aren’t worried about.

So what’s the play? Is it Atiku-Obi? Is it Atiku-Kwankwaso? Nobody knows. The party says it’s open. Competitive. “No one is stepping down,” they insisted. If anyone should go, it’s Tinubu. “His leadership has become a national liability.”

Harsh words. But politics is war, right?

The ADC says they’re building structures. Wards, LGAs, states. They’re doing the work. And they’re telling Tinubu’s “proxies” to stay in their lane. “Disruptors and infiltrators must allow the party to do this essential work.”

It’s getting messy. The 2027 race just got spicier. Tinubu thinks he cleared the field by crushing the old PDP. But he forgot one thing. Old politicians don’t retire. They just switch parties and keep fighting.

Atiku just drew a line in the sand. He’s not moving. Tinubu wants a smooth sail? He’s gonna get a storm instead. Let’s just see who drowns first. Because this rescue mission? It just got personal.