The Obidient Movement has responded to recent claims that their criticism of the dollarisation of primary elections was aimed at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Tanko Yunusa, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, clarified on Friday that the allegations were misinterpreted.
“We are being misrepresented on this issue. Our position was not a direct attack on Atiku Abubakar following his BBC Hausa interview,” Yunusa explained. “It’s a general statement on the state of our democracy, where primaries are heavily monetised. We respect Atiku, and his relationship with Obi is one based on mutual understanding.”
Yunusa further asserted that Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, would never participate in a primary where delegates were bought. “Obi campaigns for issue-based politics focused on governance, health, education, security, and poverty alleviation,” he said. “He stands in stark contrast to the transactional politics that are now normalised in Nigeria.”
Tanko’s comments came after Atiku’s statement in an interview where he suggested he would step aside from the 2027 presidential race if a younger candidate defeated him in the primaries. This sparked discussions, with many speculating about his intentions and the future of his political career.
In the same interview, Atiku stated, “If I run for office, and a young man defeats me, I will accept that. The party we have joined now prioritises youth and women.” He added that his commitment to the ADC party remained firm, dismissing suggestions that he might leave the party.
The political landscape has since been abuzz with commentary, with former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani weighing in. Sani noted that Atiku’s influence in party primaries would make it difficult for any candidate to defeat him.
“The keyword here is PRIMARIES… It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to beat Atiku in a primary,” Sani remarked in a post on X.
