WILL ATIKU ABUBAKAR BURY HIS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION?
Anthony EKPO BASSEY
Since 1992, Atiku Abubakar has remained a familiar face in Nigeria’s political theatre. He has been a tireless titan whose name has graced every major presidential ballot or primary contest in the Fourth Republic. From one party to another, from hope to heartbreak, he has chased the presidency with a persistence that borders on obsession. Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, Atiku has refused to exit the stage, always circling back, always with one eye on Aso Rock.
His first real shot came under the banner of the Social Democratic Party, when he squared off in the 1992 presidential primaries. Though he was outpaced by the late Moshood Abiola, Atiku’s ambitions did not wither, they only waited. And so began a political pilgrimage that has seen him fly the flags of more parties than most Nigerians care to count namely; PDP, AC, APC and then back again.
In 1999, he became Vice President under Olusegun Obasanjo, and many believed the top seat would be his in due course. But as fate would have it, the road to Aso Rock proved rougher than he imagined. By 2007, he had fallen out with Obasanjo and ran on the ticket of the Action Congress. He lost. In 2011, he returned to PDP, only to fall short in the primaries. Then came 2015, another shot, another stumble. In 2019 and 2023, he was PDP’s flagbearer, and yet again, the crown eluded him.
One cannot help but admire his doggedness. Atiku Abubakar is, by every measure, a serial aspirant, one who has refused to fold his political tent, even when the odds have clearly been stacked against him. But there is a saying: "When the horse is dead, it’s foolish to keep flogging." With each election cycle, the terrain has shifted beneath his feet. The political wind now blows in the direction of younger voices, newer ideas, and fresh faces. The old guards are finding it harder to hold their grip on a nation eager for change.
The 2023 election might have been his final roll of the dice. Many within his own party now whisper what some dare not say aloud: that it is time to call time. The Peoples Democratic Party, itself in disarray, is crying out for renewal. But so long as Atiku remains at the centre of the ring, fresh contenders are left waiting in the wings. A tree cannot make a forest, and no party can flourish when it is held hostage by history.
Atiku still commands respect. His war chest is deep, his network vast. But money does not buy momentum, and power does not always respect persistence. Politics, after all, is a game of timing. And for Atiku, the clock may be running out. There is wisdom in knowing when to step aside and when to become the kingmaker rather than the king. Even a lion must rest after years of roaring.
The question lingers in the minds of many: will Atiku finally sheath his political sword, or will he once again throw his hat into the ring in 2027? Will he accept that sometimes the journey itself is the legacy, even if the destination remains out of reach?
Atiku Abubakar has walked a long road, often uphill, often alone. But there comes a time when even the most seasoned traveller must sit, reflect, and reckon with the road ahead. Nigeria’s story will not be complete without his chapter, but perhaps, just perhaps, that chapter is drawing to a close.
Only time will tell if Atiku will finally hang his political boots or keep marching towards a dream that has danced just out of reach for over three decades. After all, "the monkey that refuses to let go of the banana trap, risks becoming bush meat."
Will Atiku let go? Or will he go once more into the fray, chasing a crown that may no longer be his to wear?
Only he knows. But the nation watches.
