• Former vice president Atiku Abubakar disclosed that the 2027 election will be his final presidential contest
• Atiku argued that Nigeria’s leadership problems stem partly from inexperience
• He also said younger politicians need mentorship and guidance from older leaders

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the 2027 presidential election will likely be his final attempt to become Nigeria’s president.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, April 15, Atiku said: “The 2027 election will be my last outing.”

The former vice president, who has contested for the presidency multiple times since the early 1990s, will be about 80 years old by the time the next general election takes place in 2027.

When asked why Nigerians should trust him with the presidency after several previous attempts and given his age, Atiku argued that the country’s main challenge is poor leadership.

According to him, his years of political experience, including serving as vice president and military governor, distinguish him from many younger politicians.

“There is a clear and stark difference, take the cases if state governors in a number of state being headed by relatively young people and failing woefully simply because at the apex, they do not have capable and experienced president to guide them and to give them the benefit of his experience. That’s why we have been having a number of woeful leadership in a number if state because they are being headed by inexperienced young men,” he said.

Atiku also blamed some of Nigeria’s past governance challenges on inexperience at the top, citing the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said Jonathan’s lack of experience contributed to the issues faced during that administration.

Despite stressing the importance of experience, Atiku said younger Nigerians should still be prepared for leadership positions through proper mentorship and guidance.

“I personally believe that they require experience and tutelage from the older generation,” he said.

Atiku has made several attempts to become president over the years.

He first contested during the 1993 primaries under the Social Democratic Party before stepping down for Moshood Abiola.

He later ran under the Action Congress in 2007, under the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011, and on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in both 2019 and 2023.

In 2025, Atiku moved to the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although Atiku had previously said in 2024 that he would “keep contesting” for the presidency for as long as he remained healthy, he now appears to see 2027 as his final opportunity.

“I’m not stepping down,” Atiku fires back at 2027 withdrawal claims

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had dismissed claims that he had withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race, describing the reports as false and misleading.

Atiku said the rumours suggesting he had stepped away from active politics were part of a “coordinated disinformation campaign” aimed at discrediting him.

He also refuted claims of a national-level meeting with African Democratic Congress stakeholders, claiming that his only recent engagement was with ADC members in Adamawa State.