Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has denied speculation that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain is preparing for another shot at the presidency in 2027.
The rebuttal comes after a video resurfaced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), in which Atiku was purportedly heard stating that he would make a “formal announcement” regarding his political future.
But in a statement released on Friday, Ibe clarified that the video being circulated was taken out of context, noting it was recorded prior to 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 Atiku’s assertive tone in the clip was characteristic of a candidate preparing for an intense political contest.
“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.
Cautioning against false narratives, Ibe urged Nigerians to disregard the recent interpretations being pushed online.
“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.