President Atiku Abubakar has declared that the 2027 general election will be a straight contest between the All Progressives Congress and Nigerians, warning that no volume of political defections will translate into genuine public support for the ruling party.

Atiku, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, made the declaration on Friday in a statement issued by his media office, while reacting to the defection of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the APC.

Fintiri had announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC on Friday morning in a 14-minute statewide broadcast, saying the decision was taken in the developmental interest of Adamawa State.

He said he was moving to the APC with his entire cabinet, all PDP officials, and supporters across all 226 wards and 21 local government areas in the state.

He was registered as an APC member with card number 001.

As a prelude to his defection, 15 of the 16 PDP members in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Bathiya Wesley, had defected to the APC on Wednesday.

Reacting, Atiku said political realignments were not new and that every politician was free to choose a path, adding that even members of his own family were entitled to independent political positions.

The statement read, “Every politician is free to choose a path. He respects that right. He added that even his children are free to take independent political positions. However, anyone — including his son — who chooses to stand with Nigerians rather than the APC is standing on the side of patriotism.”

Atiku described the wave of defections by opposition governors as evidence of pressure and intimidation rather than a sign of strength, accusing the Tinubu administration of weaponising state institutions to bully political opponents in what he called a bid to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

“This government fears accountability. It fears credible elections. It fears the people,” he said.

He said no amount of coercion could erase the daily hardship Nigerians face, citing what he described as rising hunger, crushing poverty, worsening insecurity and mass unemployment caused by failed economic policies.

“Governors may defect for personal survival. Nigerians are defecting in their millions because they want survival,” Atiku said.

He urged citizens not to equate political cross-carpeting with popularity, questioning what the APC would campaign on in 2027.

“What will the APC campaign on in 2027 — hunger? hardship? hopelessness?” he asked.

Atiku reminded Nigerians that political power ultimately belonged to them and urged them against vote-selling.

“Do not trade your future. Do not mortgage your children tomorrow. In 2027, the people will have their say — and their will shall prevail,” he said. (The PUNCH)

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