Monday, May 12, 2025 - A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has defended the right of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to run for the presidency again, dismissing public criticism over the number of times he has contested.
Atiku, who has made six attempts at the presidency and lost
twice to candidates of the All Progressives Congress in 2019 and 2023, remains
a topic of political discussion ahead of the 2027 general election.
Sowunmi stated in an interview that the recurring debate
about Atiku's ambitions is misplaced, arguing that the constitution guarantees
every eligible citizen the right to contest for any political office. He
expressed concern that more effort is being spent on discouraging Atiku than on
strategies to unseat the ruling party.
He said political contests are deeply personal and
constitutional, emphasizing that attempts to pressure Atiku into stepping aside
are both unwarranted and ineffective. “What I find a little bit curious is that
instead of people to talk about how they win or even how they’re going to win
the general election, they have devoted too much time into trying to bully a
man that cannot be bullied. I know very well if anybody tries to bully him, you
basically do only to make him more resolute in his position,” he said.
Sowunmi further pointed out that political parties are free
to zone their presidential tickets in line with party and national
constitutions but reiterated that no law prevents Atiku from contesting. He
argued that electoral participation is a legal right that cannot be taken away
based on past attempts or failures.
He listed Atiku’s various past bids for the presidency, from
his first attempt in 1992 under the Social Democratic Party to his most recent
one under the PDP, insisting that each of those efforts reflected legitimate
democratic participation. He urged Nigerians to focus on winning elections
rather than restricting who can contest them.
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