AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has assured the Yoruba that their interests would be central to his presidency if elected in 2027.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), dismissed fears that his administration would favour his Fulani kinsmen, stressing that his ties to the South-West run deep.
In a statement issued by his media consultant, Kola Johnson, the ex-vice president cited his marriage and long-standing personal relationships as proof of his bond with the Yoruba.
“I was married to my first wife, Titi, a Yoruba woman, in the 1970s, and we have four children together. She is now over 75 years old and we are still together. My children with Titi sometimes call me ‘Baba Rere,’ meaning good father,” Atiku said.
He described his Ijesha-born wife as his “Jewel of Inestimable Value” and noted that the Yoruba had always occupied a special place in his life, both personally and politically.
“Therefore, the fear that my ascension to the presidency might lead to Hausa/Fulani domination is absolutely unfounded. The entire Yoruba stock is my extended family and in-laws,” he added.
Atiku pledged that if elected in 2027, the South-West would be central to his policymaking, assuring Yoruba leaders and voters of fair representation.
“Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a highly detribalised person. Even before politics, I related effortlessly with people of diverse tribes, ethnicities, and religions,” he stated.
Atiku, who has been a recurring presidential contender since the early 1990s, came second to President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general election.
The South-West, predominantly Yoruba, remains a key battleground ahead of 2027.
