The wife of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Aminat Titi Abubakar, has predicted that Nigerians will demand a second term for her husband if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Aminat said Atiku had told her he would serve only one term if elected, but his performance in office would make Nigerians “yearn” for him to continue and eventually ask him to return for another term.
She made the remarks while addressing ADC supporters and party members at a gathering in Abuja, where she canvassed support for Atiku ahead of the 2027 election.
According to her, Atiku’s experience as Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007 meant he would not need to learn on the job if elected president.
“Atiku is a sellable material. That is why I’m so proud of my husband. Atiku is a philanthropist. Atiku has done it before. Atiku is not going to land on the job, and Atiku is not a novice,” she said.
Aminat said she had initially planned to tell supporters that Nigerians would demand a second term for Atiku after his first four years in office but held back because of his one-term pledge.
“I wanted to say that by the time Atiku comes to the saddle, Nigerians will be yearning for Atiku for a second time. But he said he was going to do just one time. But Nigerians will yearn for him and bring him,” she said.
She also defended Atiku’s continued presidential ambition despite his age, saying he was seeking the presidency to give back to society and pass his political experience to younger Nigerians.
“Atiku doesn’t want Nigerians’ money. Atiku just wants to give back to society what society has done for him,” she said.
“Because many people keep saying, ‘What is he looking for? Very soon he’s going to be 80.’ But Atiku wants to teach all you children how politics is being made.”
Aminat further criticised the state of governance and the economy, claiming that Nigeria’s institutions had deteriorated and that citizens were struggling.
“Today, we have no constitution. We have no rule of law. Nothing is working. Our economy is in shambles,” she said.
She again predicted that Nigerians would ask Atiku to continue in office after his first term.
“By the grace of God, when Atiku comes to the saddle, I told you, people will yearn that Atiku should continue and do second time,” she said.
“By then, he will have to touch his deputy. Maybe the deputy will take over from him.”
Describing Atiku as a man of honour, she said the former Vice President was not seeking the presidency to enrich himself with public funds.
“Atiku is a man of honour. He’s a man of his word. Atiku is not coming to ‘chop’ (embezzle) government’s money. Atiku wants to give back to you people. Atiku wants you people to know what it is all about – government,” she said.
Aminat also urged Nigerian youths to take an active role in the ADC’s mobilisation efforts, describing them as the party’s “foot soldiers”.
“And I implore you, the youth, you people, you are our foot soldiers. Where we cannot reach, you people will get there,” she said.
She urged the youths to protect their votes during the 2027 election and reject attempts by politicians to influence them with money.
Aminat said supporters needed to be prepared to prevent the alleged snatching or manipulation of votes, adding that some party organisers were already planning to recruit and train polling-unit agents.
She mentioned plans proposed by Alhaji Kashim to have 100 people at each polling booth but suggested that between 20 and 30 people might be sufficient.
She also referred to Alhaji Jijima, who she said had promised to train supporters participating in the electoral process.
“And if you are going through training, please listen and listen very well,” she told the youths.
Aminat warned supporters against becoming “sell-outs” by accepting money from politicians in exchange for their votes.
“Because these people, they have all our monies in their kitty. Don’t allow them to come and give you money and you sell your conscience,” she said.
“If you sell your vote, you are selling the vote of your generation yet unborn.”
She argued that the money offered during elections would not provide a lasting solution to the economic challenges facing young Nigerians.
“The money they are giving today, it will not last a lifetime or four years. The most they can give is ₦50,000. What is ₦50,000 going to do for you?” she asked.
Aminat therefore urged young Nigerians to vote for an experienced candidate rather than someone who would be learning how to govern after assuming office.
“So it is better for you to vote the man who knows the job. The man who is not learning on the job,” she said.
She argued that governing Nigeria was more complex than running a single state, noting that the country comprises 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“You know, they just did one term as the governor of just a single state. But in this case, it is very vast. 36 states plus Abuja, making 37,” she said.
“So it has to be a man who has learned on the job, who knows the job, who has done it before. That is the man that will deliver Nigeria. And that man is Atiku Abubakar.”
She also called on Nigerians to support the ADC’s campaign to “rescue” the country, saying the current generation had a responsibility to leave a better country for future generations.
“So I am appealing to you that together we have to rescue Nigeria. Because if we don’t rescue Nigeria, our generation yet unborn will ask us, ‘What legacy did we leave for them?’” she said.
“So we have to leave a very clean legacy for them so that when they come, they will say, ‘Yes, our leaders have done well for us.’”
Aminat further stressed the importance of political history and legacy, saying leaders would ultimately be judged by what they left behind.
“History is very, very important. History is not very kind to us because all these things we are doing today, everything is being nurtured. And if we go back in history, the people that have rescued Nigeria, everything will go down in history,” she said.
She urged ADC supporters who travelled from different parts of the country to Abuja to take the mobilisation seriously, insisting that the 2027 election would not be conducted “as usual”.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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