Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has assured that the welfare and interests of the Yoruba people will be central to his administration if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku dismissed claims that a government led by him would promote Hausa/Fulani dominance over the Yoruba or any other ethnic group, describing such fears as baseless.
“The Yoruba are my extended family and in-laws,” he said in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja by his media consultantn aide Kola Johnson.
Highlighting his personal ties, Atiku recalled marrying his first wife, Titi, an Ijesha-born Yoruba woman, in the 1970s. “We have four Yoruba children together. She is now over 75 years old, and we are still together,” he said, adding that his children fondly call him Baba Rere (good father).
“I consider myself fortunate to have a wife from this noble ethnic group. The bond between me and the Yoruba is like that of a family. For this reason, the Yoruba will always hold a special place in my heart and policymaking,” he stated.
Atiku also described Titi as his “Jewel of Inestimable Value” and noted that Yoruba individuals have consistently been among his closest friends and political allies.
“Anyone who knows me can attest that I am a highly detribalised Nigerian. Long before I entered politics, I related easily with people across ethnic, religious and regional divides,” he added.
Atiku, who was the main opposition candidate and runner-up in the 2023 presidential election won by President Bola Tinubu, has declared his intention to contest again in 2027.