Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed concerns about his age ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that he remains physically fit and healthy.
Atiku addressed the issue during an interview with the BBC Hausa service after being asked whether his age could affect his ability to provide effective leadership if elected president.
The interviewer pointed out that Atiku would be almost 80 by the time Nigerians head to the polls in 2027 and asked what he would tell Nigerians who considered him too old to lead the country.
In response, the former vice president challenged the premise of the question.
“Do I look to you like someone who has reached 80 years of age?” Atiku asked.
He also referenced the age of President Bola Tinubu during the exchange.
“You went and voted for someone who is 80, I mean 90 years old. How old is President Bola, 90?” he said.
The interviewer subsequently corrected him, noting that Tinubu was not yet 80.
Atiku then repeated his challenge, asking, “Do I look to you like someone who has reached 80 years of age?”
The ADC candidate also rejected claims that he had become an obstacle to efforts by opposition politicians to form a united political front ahead of the 2027 election.
He described the allegation as baseless, insisting that he was the person who initiated the opposition coalition.
“That is a baseless accusation levelled against me. I was actually the one who initiated the coalition. Nobody else. I, Atiku Abubakar, started it,” he said.
According to Atiku, two major opposition figures, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, have since left the coalition.
“It was just Kwankwaso… he was with us at first, then he left,” he said.
He added that Obi was also no longer part of the group.
“Yes, and also Peter Obi. It’s just them, but the rest of us are still here continuing our work,” Atiku said.
Despite the departures, Atiku expressed optimism that the opposition figures could eventually reunite and work together in the interest of the country.
His comments come as opposition parties and political figures continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Atiku’s candidacy under the ADC is expected to place further focus on the opposition coalition and its ability to consolidate political forces ahead of the election.
The former vice president, however, maintained that his age should not be used to determine his capacity to lead, pointing instead to his fitness and readiness to contest the presidency.
