Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed claims that he has withdrawn from active politics, describing the reports as false and part of a calculated attempt to mislead the public and weaken the rising profile of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, the former presidential candidate said rumours suggesting he reached a decision to step aside during a meeting with ADC stakeholders were “entirely false and deliberately misleading.”
The statement clarified that Atiku had not held any such meeting at the national level, noting that his only recent engagement with party members took place in Adamawa State.
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“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,” the statement said.
It stressed that any decision as significant as exiting active politics would not be communicated through unofficial channels.
“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.”
Atiku’s media office further described the development as part of a broader disinformation effort aimed at creating confusion and slowing opposition momentum.
“This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public,” it added.
The statement also alleged that unnamed actors linked to the government may be behind the reports, suggesting the move reflects growing anxiety over an emerging opposition front.
“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.
It urged supporters of Atiku, members of the ADC, and the general public to disregard the claims and remain committed to efforts to “reclaim and rebuild” the country.