On April 15, 2026, in Nigeria, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said the 2027 presidential election is likely to be his last attempt to lead the country, citing his age and the demands of the race during an interview on Arise Television.
Atiku explained that by the time of the election, he would be close to 80 years old, and this reality, along with the intensity of the contest, makes it likely his final run. His comment comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 election begin to take shape.
The former vice president has a long history of presidential contests in Nigeria. He first showed interest in 1993 during the Social Democratic Party primaries but stepped down for the late Moshood Abiola. He later returned to the race in 2007 under the Action Congress, where he lost to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He also contested in 2011 under the Action Congress of Nigeria but was defeated by Goodluck Jonathan. After returning to the Peoples Democratic Party, he ran again in 2019 but lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
In 2023, Atiku contested once more as the PDP candidate but was defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.
Over the years, he has remained active in national politics, often speaking on issues such as economic reforms, restructuring, and private sector growth. His