By Patrick Idowu
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has played down speculation about a possible Peter Obi-Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso joint presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the talks as inconsequential.
Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, said the former vice president remains confident in the internal democratic processes of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stressing that no individual or group has an automatic claim to the party’s presidential ticket.
The remarks follow reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is exploring a broad opposition coalition, with suggestions of an Obi-Kwankwaso pairing under the ADC platform.
Dismissing the speculation, Ibe said rumours do not determine political outcomes in a democracy. “It is not a threat, and it can never be a threat,” he said, adding that all qualified party members are free to contest the party’s primaries.
He noted that Atiku’s interest in the ADC ticket does not preclude other aspirants, emphasising that the party is currently focused on building structures capable of challenging the ruling APC in 2027, rather than engaging in premature ticket debates.
Ibe also described Peter Obi as a committed ADC member and cautioned against drawing conclusions from unverified political alignments.
On reports of Kwankwaso’s interest in the ADC, Atiku welcomed the former Kano State governor, saying broad-based collaboration is essential for meaningful political change.
He further reiterated that the ADC’s presidential candidate would emerge strictly through delegate-based primaries, in line with the party’s constitution.
