•Atiku,Tambuwal and Kwankwaso
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has written off Northerners who may run against him in the shadow election for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket.
Atiku said none of them is close to him in popularity.
Those from Northern extraction who are believed to be eyeing the ADC ticket apart from him are Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Aminu Tambuwal, reports The Nation.
The others from the South who have shown interest are former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Rivers State Government Chibuike Amaechi.
Speaking in a television interview, Atiku said: “Can you tell me among the current leaders in the north who has more votes than I have. We are talking of figures like Tambual, Kwankwaso, El-Rufai and the emerging political figures. None of them has gotten more northern block votes as much as I have got.
“Kwankwaso has only Kano votes. We’ll concede that to him. That’s why he’s a leader in the coalition. The absence of his Kano votes may affect us, but even in his own case, you can see how Kano is now split between him and his former governor.”
Atiku added that he would step down if he is defeated in the primary by any of the contenders.
“I will step aside for any winner… including Peter Obi,” he said, stressing that the coalition’s first option would be to produce a consensus candidate, failing which a primary election would determine the flagbearer.
“If a consensus candidate emerges, we will support that individual. If not, we will go through a democratic process.”
He said all stakeholders within the coalition had agreed to this framework.
Speaking further on the Arise Television Prime Time programme, he said he would contest for the presidential ticket of the party and participate in the 2027 poll.
He spoke on his determination to be on the ballot.
However, the presidency last night, said Atiku’s bid for president is capable of upsetting national cohesion.
Atiku, who has contested to be president for six times, appeared on the ballot in 2007, 2019 and 2023. He is believed to be a top contender for the ADC ticket.
Atiku defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last year to the ADC ahead of former Sokoto State governor, Tambuwal, former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister El-Rufai, and Obi.
Last week, Kwankwaso defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ADC.
The battle for the ticket has polarised the platform. While Dele Momodu, a chieftain and close associate of Atiku, expressed the readiness of the camp to propose the Adamawa-born politician as president and Obi as his running mate, Tanko Yunusa, leader of the Obedient Movement loyal to the former Anambra governor, called for zoning to the South.
He also said many party faithful are rooting for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket, inisting that the party cannot win without Obi as presidential candidate.
But speaking on his chances, Atiku said none of them can match his electoral strength in the Northern Region.
The former vice president, who acknowledged Kwankwaso’s clout and influence in Kano State, pointed out that the voting base in the state is now divided.
He stressed: “Well, the absence of it may affect, but even in his own case, you can see how Kano is now split between himself and his former governor. So, there is even a split in that.”
The Adamawa-born politician said he will pursue a constitutional amendment to establish rotational presidency, if elected president in 2027.
He said he would step down for Obi, if Obi is picked at the ADC primary.
Atiku added: “Yes, I will step aside for any winner.”
Asked if “any winner includes Obi”, Atiku said: “Of course, if he is a contender, why not?”
Asked if it would not be difficult for him to step down because Obi was his running mate in 2019, Atiku said: “What is difficult there? It is democracy. It is either you go through consensus or you go through election.
“You emerge through consensus or emerge through the electoral process.”
