2027: Atiku has nothing to offer Nigerians – Sowore

Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has nothing new to offer Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Sowore made the statement in a post on his verified X handle on Sunday, criticising Atiku’s political record and describing him as part of Nigeria’s political establishment that has dominated the country’s leadership for decades.

Atiku, who recently emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had promised to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027, arguing that its removal by the administration of President Bola Tinubu had worsened economic hardship among Nigerians.

Reacting to the promise, Sowore questioned what difference Atiku would bring after decades of involvement in Nigeria’s political system.

According to him, Atiku has been part of the country’s political establishment since the 1980s and served as vice president for eight years during a period when significant investments were made in the power sector without solving the nation’s electricity challenges.

“After decades at the centre of Nigeria’s political system, what fundamentally different future is Atiku offering Nigerians today? Nothing!” Sowore said.

He argued that Nigerians should reject what he described as a return of old political figures, calling for a major change in the country’s leadership approach.

“Nigeria does not need another recycling of the same political elite. We need a clean break from the system that produced poverty, corruption, insecurity and darkness,” he added.

The 2027 presidential election is expected to feature several major political figures as parties continue preparations and consultations ahead of the polls.