2027 Presidency: ‘Atiku, Give Up’ NDC Reacts as Son Backs Tinubu’s Re-Election

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following reports that his son, Abba Atiku Abubakar, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition ahead of the 2027 general election.

According to a report by DAILY POST on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the party suggested that the development could undermine Atiku’s presidential aspiration, particularly as he seeks to emerge as a major opposition challenger to Tinubu in the forthcoming election.

Reacting to the situation, Theo Abu Agada, the NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, described the development as an embarrassing political setback for the former vice president. He argued that Atiku should reconsider his plans to contest for the presidency in 2027.

The controversy emerged after Abba announced his intention to mobilise Nigerians in support of Tinubu’s re-election campaign across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Abba, who established and chairs the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation (HBTO), disclosed that the group was preparing to stage a nationwide two-million-man march to demonstrate its backing for the president’s second-term ambition.

His political decision has attracted attention because of his father’s longstanding opposition to Tinubu’s administration. Atiku has consistently criticised the president’s leadership, particularly his economic policies and their impact on the living conditions of Nigerians.

Abba’s support for the ruling party followed his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development that has placed him politically on the opposite side of his father’s presidential aspirations.

Commenting on the situation through his official X account, Agada described the development as a negative political image for Atiku and questioned the viability of his 2027 ambition.

He maintained that the former vice president should consider stepping aside from the presidential race in light of his son’s decision to campaign for the incumbent president.

Atiku, a former Nigerian vice president and prominent opposition politician, has remained outspoken against the Tinubu administration, repeatedly expressing concerns over increasing poverty, hunger and economic difficulties across the country.

He has also accused the Federal Government’s economic policies of placing additional pressure on ordinary Nigerians, making him one of the administration’s most vocal political critics.

However, his son’s decision to support Tinubu has created a fresh political talking point, which the NDC has seized upon to cast doubt on the strength and public perception of Atiku’s presidential ambition.

With the 2027 general election approaching, attention will be focused on whether Abba’s political alignment with Tinubu will have any meaningful consequences for his father’s political standing, opposition support base and chances of securing the presidency.

For now, it remains uncertain whether the development will significantly affect Atiku’s political calculations or influence the broader opposition movement ahead of the next election.

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