A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has defended the right of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to run for the presidency again, dismissing public criticism over the number of times he has contested.
Atiku, who has made six attempts at the presidency and lost twice to candidates of the All Progressives Congress in 2019 and 2023, remains a topic of political discussion ahead of the 2027 general election.
Sowunmi stated in an interview that the recurring debate about Atiku’s ambitions is misplaced, arguing that the constitution guarantees every eligible citizen the right to contest for any political office. He expressed concern that more effort is being spent on discouraging Atiku than on strategies to unseat the ruling party.
He said political contests are deeply personal and constitutional, emphasizing that attempts to pressure Atiku into stepping aside are both unwarranted and ineffective. “What I find a little bit curious is that instead of people to talk about how they win or even how they’re going to win the general election, they have devoted too much time into trying to bully a man that cannot be bullied. I know very well if anybody tries to bully him, you basically do only to make him more resolute in his position,” he said.
Sowunmi further pointed out that political parties are free to zone their presidential tickets in line with party and national constitutions but reiterated that no law prevents Atiku from contesting. He argued that electoral participation is a legal right that cannot be taken away based on past attempts or failures.
He listed Atiku’s various past bids for the presidency, from his first attempt in 1992 under the Social Democratic Party to his most recent one under the PDP, insisting that each of those efforts reflected legitimate democratic participation. He urged Nigerians to focus on winning elections rather than restricting who can contest them.
