2027 Elections: We Are Competing With ‘Thieves’ — Atiku

Former Vice President and 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described the forthcoming general election as a contest against what he called “thieves,” accusing those in power of allegedly stealing the 2023 election and wrecking the Nigerian economy.
Atiku made the remarks in a video shared on his X handle, where he said: “We are competing with thieves. They stole the election. Now they have stolen the economy. They have stolen everything.”
The former vice president also reiterated his opposition to the removal of the petrol subsidy, insisting that his position had not changed despite comments attributed to one of his aides.
According to Atiku, the removal of the subsidy has worsened economic hardship and pushed more Nigerians into poverty. He argued that the primary responsibility of government should be the protection of citizens and their welfare.
He further maintained that Nigeria possesses sufficient resources to provide economic relief to its citizens through targeted subsidies.
However, Atiku’s remarks have attracted sharp criticism, with his political opponents questioning his moral authority to accuse others of corruption and mismanagement.
Reacting to Atiku’s statement, Lawrence Anini dismissed the former vice president’s comments, saying: “Waziri Adamawa, you will never be the President of Nigeria. See who is calling someone a thief. Pot is calling kettle black.”
The exchange comes as political parties and presidential hopefuls intensify their campaigns and positioning ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with economic hardship, fuel pricing, corruption and the credibility of the electoral process expected to remain central issues in the contest.