The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, has predicted that Nigerians will reject the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2027 election.
Basiru, who described Atiku as Nigeria’s equivalent of former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, said the former vice president’s latest presidential bid would be his final attempt to become Nigeria’s president.
He made the remarks while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he also questioned Atiku’s professional qualifications and track record in public service.
Basiru criticised recent promises by some opposition politicians, including a proposal that petrol should sell for N200 per litre, describing such claims as unrealistic and an attempt to win votes through false promises.
He said, “Some people just make statements, and I heard one of them say petrol should cost N200, which is not possible. He’s just lying.
“You shouldn’t lie to people just to get their votes. Atiku isn’t a professional; he was trained as a hygiene expert in Kano. He’s a ‘wole wole’ man, and we became tax collectors in Customs.
“Where is his expertise? What has he done? Check his profile. Being vice president doesn’t make you an expert.”
Basiru further compared Atiku’s repeated presidential contests to Odinga’s long-running attempts to lead Kenya, saying the ADC candidate would eventually face rejection at the polls.
“Atiku is the ‘Odinga’ of our country, and that’s what the Vice President said. Atiku is running his last campaign, and he will soon realise that the Nigerian people will reject him,” he added.
Atiku, who served as vice president from 1999 to 2007, has contested the Nigerian presidency several times and is seeking the office again on the ADC platform in the 2027 election.
