March 30, (THEWILL) — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that he remains firmly in active politics, dismissing widespread rumours of his planned retirement as false and misleading, while reaffirming his commitment to Nigeria’s political future.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media office in Abuja, Atiku categorically denied reports claiming he had decided to step aside from politics following a purported meeting with stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The statement described the claims as entirely unfounded and part of a deliberate attempt to misinform the public.
“We wish to state, for the record, that information circulating on social media about a purported meeting of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, with stakeholders of the ADC, in which the former Vice President allegedly decided to ‘step aside and retire from active politics,’ is entirely false and deliberately misleading,” the statement read.
The media office clarified that Atiku had not held any recent national-level meeting with ADC stakeholders. It noted that his only recent interaction with members of the party was at the state level in Adamawa last Thursday, stressing that no such decision about his political future was discussed.
Highlighting the gravity of the claims, the statement emphasised that any decision as significant as exiting active politics would not be communicated through speculation or anonymous sources, but through official 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,” it added.
The statement further alleged that the reports bore the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at creating confusion, dampening political momentum, and misleading Nigerians.
“This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public. Only the government and its agents could have sponsored this desperate narrative out of fear of what is coming,” the statement said.
Reiterating Atiku’s continued engagement in national affairs, the media office urged his supporters, ADC members, and Nigerians at large to disregard the rumours and remain focused on collective efforts to address the country’s challenges.
“We therefore urge supporters of Atiku Abubakar, members of the ADC, and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard this fake news in its entirety and remain focused on the collective effort to reclaim and rebuild our nation,” the statement concluded.
