Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed reports claiming he has retired from active politics, describing them as false and misleading.
He also alleged that anti-democratic elements were behind attempts to create confusion and slow the growing momentum of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Paul Ibe.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said reports circulating on social media about a purported meeting with ADC stakeholders, where he allegedly decided to step aside from politics, were entirely fabricated.
“We wish to state, for the record, that information circulating on social media about a purported meeting of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, with stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress, in which the former Vice President allegedly decided to ‘step aside and retire from active politics,’ is entirely false and deliberately misleading,” the statement read.
The Waziri of Adamawa clarified that he had not held any such meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level.
“The Waziri Adamawa has not, in recent times, held any such meeting with ADC stakeholders at the national level. The only recent engagement he had was with stakeholders of the ADC in Adamawa State last Thursday,” the statement added.
Mr Atiku stressed that any decision as significant as exiting active politics would not be communicated through unofficial channels.
“An issue as fundamental and consequential as exiting active politics cannot, and would never, be communicated through rumours, faceless sources, or third-party fabrication. Such a decision, if ever taken, would be formally conveyed through the Atiku Media Office,” he said.
He described the report as part of a coordinated attempt to mislead the public and dampen political momentum.
“This latest falsehood bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated disinformation campaign designed to create confusion, dampen momentum, and mislead the Nigerian public,” he stated.
The former vice president further alleged that the narrative was being driven by individuals uncomfortable with the current political direction.
“Only the government and its agents could have sponsored this desperate narrative out of fear of what is coming.
“We state without equivocation that this mischief is being driven by anti-democratic elements who are deeply unsettled by the growing national consensus to rescue Nigeria from the failures of the current administration.”
He urged his supporters and party members to disregard the reports and remain focused on their political objectives.
“We therefore urge supporters of Atiku Abubakar, members of the ADC, and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard this fake news in its entirety and remain focused on the collective effort to reclaim and rebuild our nation,” the statement added.
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