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Eze-Onyebuchi Chukwu, the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to forgo any ambition of contesting the 2027 presidential election and instead support the emergence of a credible young candidate.
In a statement issued on Friday and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Chukwu said Nigeria’s older politicians must begin the process of transferring power to a younger generation with vision and capacity. He urged Atiku to either rally support for a young Nigerian or allow President Bola Tinubu to complete a second term in office.
“Rather than aspiring to run again in 2027, Atiku should rally his political allies to support a young, credible Nigerian,” Chukwu said. “It’s time to return power to the youths.”
The APGA youth leader said the nation can no longer afford to marginalise young people in its leadership structure, insisting that any political process that excludes youth participation must be rejected.
Reflecting on his previous support for the former vice-president, Chukwu recalled his role as convener of Atikunation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the 2019 elections. According to him, he committed both time and resources to Atiku’s campaign because he believed Atiku would prioritise youth empowerment.
“Atiku challenged Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, and Tinubu in 2023,” he noted. “Now he wants to contest again in 2027 — is he the only one fit to be president? There are capable young Nigerians who deserve a chance.”
Chukwu said that if Atiku insists on running again, then it may be more strategic to support President Tinubu for a second term, but only if the president commits to handing over power to a young leader in 2031.
He stressed that Nigerian youths are prepared to support any candidate who makes a clear and binding pledge to ensure a generational shift in leadership by the next political cycle.
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