A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dele Momodu, has asserted that the call for former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 race, based on raw emotions and sentiments, is tantamount to a monumental tragedy.
Naijaonpoint reports that the statement follows remarks by some supporters of former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, demanding that the ADC give its presidential ticket to him (Peter Obi).
Recall that Peter Obi, who garnered over six million votes to finish third in the 2023 presidential election behind Atiku, recently defected from the Labour Party to the ADC.
Some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, mocked Peter Obi’s defection, suggesting he could end up as Atiku’s running mate.
However, prominent figures such as political economist, Pat Utomi, and human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, have warned that they would withdraw their support if Peter Obi accepted a vice-presidential slot on a ticket led by Atiku.
Reacting to the development, Momodu, in an interview with Punch on Thursday, ruled out any possibility of Atiku withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race in favour of Peter Obi.
The veteran journalist noted that attempts to discredit Atiku’s ambition have become a recurring narrative in the media, adding that the former Vice President has no reason to abandon the race.
He said, “Several people have asked me to advise former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to voluntarily withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.
“When I ask them why, they say he is too old. Not that they know of any fatality awaiting him. Not that he is less healthy than President Bola Tinubu.
“Out of unsubstantiated malice and prejudice, Tinubu can and should contest, but Atiku can’t and shouldn’t contest.
“I read somewhere that the best of us shouldn’t play second fiddle to the worst of us. With all due respect, who or what determines the worst of us? Is it because Atiku is well-educated and more articulate than most of his contemporaries and political rivals?
“Is it that his legendary character and successes in business, academia, technology, philanthropy, and his contributions to deepening democracy and the rule of law are his cardinal sins?
“He’s certainly not a saint, but he towers above most of his peers by not being a parasite feeding on the state since he left power in 2007.
“Asking our most experienced and cosmopolitan aspirant to sacrifice his credentials on the altar of raw emotion and primordial sentiments is a monumental tragedy.”