Atiku denies retirement rumours, alleges plot to undermine ADC

2026-03-30 - 09:54

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed reports claiming he has retired from active politics, describing the development as false and part of a coordinated attempt to mislead the public and weaken the momentum of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In a statement issued Monday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku said the rumours circulating on social media about a purported meeting with ADC stakeholders, where he allegedly decided to step aside from politics, were “entirely false and deliberately misleading”. The statement clarified that the former presidential candidate had not held any recent meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level, noting that his only recent engagement was with party members in Adamawa State last Thursday. It reads in part, “The Waziri Adamawa has not in recent times held any such meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level. The only recent engagement he had was with stakeholders of the ADC in Adamawa State last Thursday. “An issue as fundamental and consequential as exiting active politics cannot, and would never, be communicated through rumours, faceless sources, or third-party fabrication. Such a decision, if ever taken, would be formally conveyed through the Atiku Media Office. “This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public.” It also accused unnamed government agents of possibly sponsoring the narrative, claiming the development reflects fear of an emerging opposition movement. “We state without equivocation that this mischief is being driven by anti-democratic elements who are deeply unsettled by the growing national consensus to rescue Nigeria from the failures of the current administration,” the statement added. The media office urged Atiku’s supporters, ADC members, and Nigerians to disregard the claims and remain focused on what it described as efforts to “reclaim and rebuild” the country.