In a message that appears to signal the end of the road for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition, the Presidency has urged him to abandon any plans for a future run and instead throw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the remarks during an interview on TVC on Monday, where he addressed the state of opposition politics and Atiku’s future in Nigeria’s leadership landscape.
“If I have the opportunity to meet him face to face, what I will tell him is just this: ‘Your Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, you have to believe in destiny, God gives power to whomsoever He chooses. And it seems from the facts on the ground that it may not have been the will of God for you to govern Nigeria,” Bwala said during the programme.
The former PDP presidential candidate, who has contested for the presidency six times, has remained one of the most enduring figures in Nigerian politics. But Bwala suggested that the former vice president should face the reality that the presidency might not be in his divine script.
He advised Atiku to consider lending his support to President Tinubu’s administration as a ‘statesmanly’ act that could secure him a worthy legacy.
“There are many other ways you can contribute. Since you have been a friend to President Bola Tinubu for many years, come together and bring your contribution towards the Nigeria that both of you wanted to create for the Nigerian people.
“Your legacy will be that in your political dying days, you will be able to achieve some of your dreams, albeit through your friend,” he added.
Bwala said a continued pursuit of the presidency could yield diminishing returns for Atiku, who he claimed is already losing relevance among his long-standing political base.
“But if he insists that he wants to run and he wants to become the president, as we have already seen it playing out, his political ending might not be as palatable as he’s thinking,” he said.
Bwala, who recently joined Tinubu’s government after defecting from the PDP, also revealed that Atiku has lost a significant portion of his political allies.
“Right now, from his political family, he has lost substantial people, probably 60 to 70 percent,” he said, noting that most of the younger politicians who once rallied around Atiku are now looking to take leadership positions independently.
Recall that In March, Atiku himself had hinted at uncertainty over a potential 2027 bid, stating that his decision would depend on the availability of a “viable platform.
