Former Borno State governor and erstwhile national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff said on Monday that if he were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, he would not run for presidency in 2027.
Speaking on Channels Television programme, Politics Today, Senator Modu Sheriff said Atiku is not reading the politics of Nigeria correctly, citing an unwritten agreement in the north that the south would have its two terms of eight years after late President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that ex-vice president Abubakar, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on which platform he had contested the presidential election twice, to join the new opposition coalition, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has also indicated interest to fly the party’s flag in 2027.
Senator Sheriff however posited that only two factors can stop President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from winning the 2027 presidential poll – either there was no election, or he chose not to run.
Senator Sheriff also dismissed the existence of the opposition coalition, the ADC, predicting that in another three months it would cease to exist.
Reacting to the notion that in the absence of late President Muhammadu Buhari, the only notable politician in the north who can give the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a run for their money is Atiku Abubakar, Sheriff waved it off saying that there are many states in the north where Atiku cannot influence the votes.
“I’m not worried; I’m not worried at all”, he said about the former VP’ perceived political weight.
“Atiku is from Adamawa State; It’s under PDP, and to the best of my knowledge, (Ahmadu Umaru) Fintiri and his people are still remaining in PDP intact. Atiku Abubakar cannot come to Borno and tell us what to do, neither can he go to Yobe and tell them what to do.
“He cannot go to Bauchi too because Bala (Mohammed) is still an active member of the PDP. And Bala and his members are intact. So, you see, we are talking politics. We are talking about human beings. It’s not imaginations. You can’t imagine in politics, no”.
He said while he was not dismissing him at all, “If I were him, I will not run. There is unwritten agreement in the Northern Nigeria that we will allow the South to do two terms because Buhari just finished eight years.
“Now, Nigeria is a country that belongs to all of us, and we want to live in peace. We don’t want to shortchange any region. Therefore, even if Tinubu is not running, it is still time for the south to continue the four years.
“So, Atiku, who had been a successive vice president for eight years, he has been a businessman, he’s a good man as a person, but he’s not reading the politics correctly”.
Senator Sheriff said while not holding brief for President Tinubu, as member of the party he worked for and would continue to work for, “I can tell you for free. The only thing that will stop President Tinubu from winning election in 2027 are only two factors. One, if there’s no election in Nigeria. Two, if he decided not to run.
“Otherwise, politically, I look at reality I don’t go to jamboree. You see, politics, you have to study politics. Politics is a different ball game. You are expert in your media. You can ask the whole questions you like in the world, but when it comes to politics, I can teach you because I have been practicing it. I have won elections. I’ve been elected to the Senate, for your information, three times. I’ve been a governor twice. I have made people to win elections; mentored people. Then when I’m talking to you about politics, I’m talking to you surely what is on the ground”.
On the threat posed to the APC by the ADC, the controversial politician said, “As far as this politics is concerned, ADC does not exist. They don’t exist. I say the party does not exist.
“Let me tell you how parties are formed. When we were coming to form the APC, there were about almost 15 state governments. His Excellency, the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu came with about four states – Lagos Osun, Ekiti and one other state. ANPP came with about five or six states. The remnant of the PDP, the breakaway PDP, came with about four states. APGA, Rochas (Okorocha) came with his own one state. Now, we have 73 senators at the National Assembly.
“We have clear majority in the House of Representatives. We have more than 17 states. This ADC that you are talking about, I can tell you for free; give them three months, it would die down because all of them are presidential materials, and there’s only one person that is going to be a presidential candidate among them.
“They are about three or four or so that are looking for ticket. Atiku has been the vice president of Nigeria, so, for him, it’s president or nothing.
“Peter Obi ran under Labour; his ambition is to become a president. And for your information, the information available to me is that any moment from now, Peter Obi will go back to PDP and run as the presidential candidate under PDP. So, that leaves Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Amaechi. Tell me which state they control”.