A former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose has advised the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to move on from contesting elections in the country.
Atiku unsuccessfully ran for the highest office in the land in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, with three losses occurring at primaries.
”I am sure at this stage with all due respect to him, he would rather want to stay away from politics of contesting elections again,” Fayose said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics while speaking on the crisis in the PDP.
The 63-year-old suggested that holding the highest office in the country would lose its appeal and excitement for an octogenarian in the next election cycle.
”By the time Asiwaju(Bola Tinubu) will finish, Atiku Abubakar will probably be 80 or 81 so what will be the attraction?
”We should leave the stage when the ovation is loudest, I respect him and I think Nigerians are craving for a younger generation than ever before so on what basis will Atiku come and contest again,” he said.
Despite his feelings about the former vice president contesting in the 2027 presidential elections, Atiku has shown optimism at making the 7th-time his lucky charm
The 77-year-old told Voice of America Hausa in May “God willing”.when asked whether he would try again,
He added that he won’t back down from running for President “As long as God gives me strength, good health, and long life”.
“A former President of America, Abraham Lincoln, didn’t he vie seven times?” he asked rhetorically.
Speaking on the chances of his party, challenging the APC, Fayose noted that the structures that once made the party great have collapsed and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections Peter Obi has become a more recognisable figure in the fight to oust the current administration.
”As I always say we can defeat the APC but when we don’t have a party again how can we defeat them,” he said
”When we complain about the APC and we don’t have a party and you can say you will do this and that, but when Obi is the voice of the opposition now. The press will call Obi than call the PDP and when the Publicity Secretary is suspending people and vice-versa, so where is the party?”