2027: Atiku Best Fit For ADC Ticket But He Should Step Aside — Baba-Ahmed

Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President in the Office of Vice President, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said that while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains the most qualified aspirant to clinch the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket, his greatest contribution to Nigeria would be to step aside and not contest the 2027 election.

Speaking on Arise News Channel’s breakfast show, The Morning Show’ on Thursday, Baba-Ahmed argued that Atiku’s withdrawal from the race would send a powerful message about a new political culture and the end of the recycling of old political figures.

“And of all those things, it has to be something that Atiku could do. One of them is not to keep insisting that he has to run. And I will give you my reasons,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He described Atiku’s potential decision not to run as a “decisive move entirely within his control” that could reshape opposition politics and inspire generational change ahead of the 2027 polls.

While acknowledging Atiku’s political experience and network, Baba-Ahmed said the former vice president remained the leading contender within the ADC due to his national spread, strong structures, and loyal support base.

“Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has the experience, the spread, better structures, and more loyal people, and he understands the mechanics of internal party dynamics better than the others,” he stated.
“The ADC’s ticket is up for grabs, but it will be a very difficult task for anybody to get it other than Atiku Abubakar.”

Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), however, criticised suggestions that the ADC ticket should be reserved for any individual, warning that such moves would contradict democratic ideals.

“Those saying the ticket must be given to a particular individual are going against democratic processes,” he cautioned.

Despite his recognition of Atiku’s edge over other presidential aspirants, Baba-Ahmed maintained that the former vice president should consider stepping aside in the national interest.

“The most important thing that ADC can do, and the single most important commitment that Atiku can make to this country after all his years of labour and striving to build the democratic process, is to decide not to run for president in 2027,” he said.

“You’ve got to do something that is so dramatically outside the box that Nigerians can sit up and say, ‘ah, these are not just another recycled politician trying to replace Tinubu.’”