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The Atiku/Amaechi Movement, has said the 2027 presidential election should be determined by capacity, experience and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria, rather than by personalities and political rhetoric.
The group, led by Umar Ibrahim Shanono, stated this at the weekend while reacting to recent comments by a former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, on the candidature of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
National Director, Media and Communications of the Movement, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, who signed the statement, said the organisation respected Senator Kwankwaso’s right to his opinion and acknowledged him as a respected leader and stakeholder in Nigeria’s democracy.
“However, we must state clearly that 2027 is not about personalities. It is about capacity, experience, and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria,” Sanyinnawal declared in the statement.
He noted that Atiku Abubakar has a proven track record of service in both the public and private sectors, adding that the former Vice President possessed a deep understanding of Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, Atiku also has the national reach required to unite the country at a time when division and mutual distrust have continued to deepen across regions and ethnic lines.
Sanyinnawal further argued that when paired with the administrative competence of former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the ticket offers Nigerians the “tested leadership they deserve at this critical time.”
While acknowledging disagreements with attempts to downplay the capacity of the Atiku/Amaechi pairing, the Movement said it would not engage in rancor because the challenges confronting Nigerians are too grave for distractions.
“Insecurity, poverty, and division — these are too serious for distractions,” the statement read. “That is why we are calling on all opposition leaders and patriotic Nigerians to put the country first,” it stated.