Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that the 2027 presidential election will transcend political party lines, framing it as a showdown between Nigerians and the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement on Friday, Atiku reacted to the recent wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including high-profile moves by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and former PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Atiku described these defections as part of democracy, stating that “freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy, they are fundamental rights.”
“Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble,” he said.
He stressed that he bore no grudges against anyone changing political alignment and described realignments as a natural part of democratic politics.
Addressing the backlash that followed his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna, Atiku insisted that engaging with key political figures, irrespective of party affiliation, was not out of place.
