Adamawa lawmaker urges Atiku to quit partisan politics and adopt an elder statesman role as 2027 politics gathers pace

A member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa State, Muhammed Basil, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from partisan politics and reposition himself as a national elder statesman.

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Basil, who represents Jada, Ganye, Toungo and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the call in an interview on Wednesday, amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmaker said it was time for Atiku to step aside and allow younger politicians to take centre stage, arguing that age and political cycles made continued partisan engagement less productive.

He described the former vice-president as an influential and respected figure whose experience would be better deployed as a guide to emerging leaders rather than as an active contender.

According to Basil, Atiku’s long years in national politics had earned him a place as a political compass whose counsel could shape future leadership beyond party lines.

He added that exiting partisan politics at a moment of sustained public relevance would preserve the former vice-president’s legacy and reinforce his standing in Nigeria’s political history.

The comments come barely two weeks after one of Atiku’s sons, Abba Atiku, publicly declared support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, citing confidence in the administration’s reforms.

Basil, however, insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party remained firmly dominant in Adamawa State and faced no serious electoral threat in the run-up to the next polls.

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Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president and multiple-time presidential candidate, is currently associated with the African Democratic Congress, although none of his sons is reportedly active in the party.