Paul Ibe, the media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has denied claims that his principal is preparing for another presidential run in 2027.

His clarification comes in response to a video circulating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where Atiku was reportedly heard stating he would make a “formal announcement” about his political plans.

The footage has been widely interpreted by commentators as a signal that the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flagbearer intends to contest again in 2027.

However, in a statement released on Friday, Ibe dismissed the circulating reports as false and clarified that the clip was not recent but recorded ahead of the PDP presidential primaries in 2022.

“Atiku’s old video is being used for mischief. Yes, this was former Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), Atiku Abubakar, speaking to journalists ahead of the 2023 PDP presidential primary,” Ibe said.

He further explained that the assertive tone in the clip was appropriate for a candidate gearing up for a major election.

“He sounded confident because that is what is expected of a man who had worked hard and was optimistic of victory in the primaries of the 2023 election,” he added.

Ibe advised the public to ignore the current misinterpretation of the video, cautioning against the spread of misinformation.

“It is important to provide the context of this video to deprive mischief makers of the opportunity of misrepresenting what this video is all about,” he said. (Vanguard)