Nigeria 2027: Atiku Names El-Rufai, Oyegun to Campaign Team as APC Calls Him Corrupt

Nigeria 2027: Atiku Names El-Rufai, Oyegun to Campaign Team as APC Calls Him Corrupt

Atiku Abubakar has assembled a campaign team for another presidential run, while the ruling party attacks his record and opponents push legal challenges against President Tinubu.

· 2 min read ·
africa

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has named a team of senior politicians to lead his 2027 presidential campaign, as Nigeria's political landscape heats up ahead of the next general election [4]. The group includes former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former national chairman John Oyegun, and Akobundu [4]. Atiku has run for Nigeria's presidency several times, first contesting in 2007 after serving as vice president from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo [4].

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Atiku of corruption and is urging Nigerians to reject his expected presidential bid in 2027 [2]. The party listed several cases it says link Atiku to financial scandals, including the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, the Siemens bribery scandal, the William Jefferson case, and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) funds controversy [2]. The APC also cited a US Senate investigation into suspicious financial transactions, saying Atiku's name appears in "files and dossiers of onshore and offshore financial scandals" [2]. Atiku has not yet responded to these allegations, though he has previously denied any wrongdoing in these cases [2].

Meanwhile, Nigeria's opposition is moving to strengthen a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu's eligibility to run in the 2027 presidential election [5]. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Atiku are seeking to correct errors in their original court filing [5]. The case questions whether Tinubu is legally permitted to contest the election [5].

A chieftain of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) said Nigeria's opposition parties can still unite behind one candidate for the 2027 general election [1]. The official said the election is not a sprint but a marathon, noting there is still time for the parties to come together [1]. He added that the opposition can unite if its members are sincere about rescuing Nigeria [1].

The debate over power rotation has also intensified. Former Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani has called on northern politicians, including Atiku, to respect the country's power rotation agreement and allow the South to complete eight years in the presidency [3]. Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, said honoring the rotation would make it easier for a northern candidate to take power in 2031 [3]. The power rotation is an informal agreement between Nigeria's northern and southern regions to alternate the presidency, widely accepted in Nigerian politics though not written into law [3]. President Tinubu, a southerner, took office in 2023, and under the rotation arrangement, his region is expected to hold the presidency until 2031 [3].

Sources

Atiku Taps El-Rufai, Oyegun, Others for 2027 Presidential Run #249378Nigeria's ruling party says Atiku is corrupt. Will voters agree? #249381Tinubu 2027 bid faces legal challenge #252147APM: Opposition Can Still Unite for 2027 Election #253823Shehu Sani to Northern Leaders: Let the South Finish First #250661

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