Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed reports suggesting that Atiku intends to run in the 2027 presidential election.
The clarification came after a video circulated widely on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), in which Atiku appeared to say he would soon make a “formal announcement” about his political plans.
Many viewers interpreted the clip as an indication that the ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate was preparing for another run in 2027.
However, in a statement released on Friday, Ibe clarified that the video is outdated, having been recorded in 2022 prior to the PDP presidential primaries.
“Atiku’s old footage is being taken out of context,” Ibe said. “This was recorded when he was addressing journalists ahead of the 2023 PDP presidential primary.”
He added that Atiku’s confident demeanor in the video was typical of any candidate gearing up for a significant political contest.
“He sounded confident because he had worked hard and was hopeful of success in the 2023 primaries,” Ibe explained.
Ibe called on the public to reject the misleading interpretation of the video and cautioned against attempts to distort the facts.
“It’s important to provide the proper context to prevent mischief makers from misrepresenting the content of this video,” he concluded.