Hon. Garba Datti, the National Vice Chairman for the North West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to abandon any plans for contesting the 2027 presidential election. He also called on former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to reconcile with the ruling party and return to the APC.
Datti, who is a member of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), made this appeal in an open letter addressed to Atiku and El-Rufai in Abuja on Tuesday.
In his letter, Datti stated that Atiku, who has contested in multiple elections since 1993, should shift from pursuing a presidential bid and embrace a more statesmanlike role. He argued that it would be in Atiku’s best interest to withdraw from the race for the 2027 presidency rather than waste time and resources chasing another election.
The APC leader pointed to former Vice President Namadi Sambo as a positive example. Sambo, Datti noted, has quietly remained an elder statesman since stepping down from his role in 2015, instead of continuing to seek political office.
“As we approach the next general election, you are already considering forming a coalition with some aggrieved politicians to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. My advice, Alhaji Atiku, is that for your own sake and the nation’s, it is better to drop the idea of contesting. By 2027, you would already be in your 80s,” Datti wrote.
Datti also cautioned Atiku against listening to the voices of some politicians, such as El-Rufai, who are encouraging him to form a coalition for the 2027 elections.
Turning his attention to El-Rufai, Datti urged the former governor to reconsider his departure from the APC. El-Rufai, a founding member of the party, played a significant role in its success, and Datti expressed concern about his departure at such a critical time.
“It is on record that you, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, were one of the founding members of the APC. You worked tirelessly for the party and served as governor under its banner for eight years. It is worrisome that you chose to leave the APC now,” Datti stated.
He also reminded El-Rufai of a statement made during his tenure as governor, in which he claimed that if he ever left the APC, it would mean quitting politics altogether.
“At this critical juncture, I advise you to reflect and either reconcile with the APC or exit politics,” Datti said. “The world knows you once stated that you had no interest in any position within President Tinubu’s administration. Why now shift to becoming a critic when you had full access to the party leadership and the president?”
Datti concluded his letter by urging El-Rufai to avoid using emotional or unsubstantiated claims in politics, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a principled approach to political discourse.
