Dead On Arrival: APC Chieftain Mocks Atiku’s 2027 Dreams

A former Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ussiju Medaner, has asserted that former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar lacks the capacity to win a national election.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday morning, Medaner claimed Atiku is skilled at clinching presidential tickets but has consistently failed to secure electoral victory.

“Some of these opposition parties are just making noise,” Medaner said, responding to criticism of the ruling party. “Elections are not won by noise-making but through strategic planning and having the right people.”

Referring specifically to Atiku, he added:
“Atiku knows how to get the ticket, but he doesn’t have people who can win elections. I was in CPC and supported Buhari, but back then we lacked those with the capacity to secure a national victory. That is the key issue.”

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Lagos PDP chieftain Adetokunbo Pearse predicted that Atiku Abubakar would likely emerge as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 election.

Speaking to journalists on the recent wave of defections from the PDP—including Atiku’s move—Pearse said the party remains unshaken. He accused Atiku of damaging his political brand through poor decision-making.

“Atiku will win the ADC primary, no doubt,” Pearse said. “But he cannot win the presidential election on that platform. His sense of political judgment has always been flawed, and he’s only worsening his own reputation.”

Pearse added that many defectors would eventually realise their error and return to the PDP.

Speaking on the state of the PDP following its 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja, Pearse said the event reaffirmed the party’s strength, internal cohesion, and strategic direction.

“The PDP doesn’t have the fundamental issues plaguing many other parties,” Pearse asserted. “Internal disagreements are normal—just like in a marriage. But leaving the party could lead to worse outcomes elsewhere.”

He emphasized that the PDP operates democratically, electing its leaders rather than appointing them.

Pearse further praised the PDP’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, calling it a “masterstroke” that positions the party to effectively challenge President Bola Tinubu of the APC.

According to him, the party’s unity and strategic repositioning would play a key role in the upcoming elections.

The PDP has scheduled its national elective convention for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, with a focus on internal reforms and coalition-building ahead of 2027.