Atiku Abubakar Denies Retiring From Politics, Warns of State-Sponsored Plot to Sabotage ADC Momentum

Former VP Atiku Abubakar labels rumors of his retirement from politics as a "state-sponsored disinformation campaign" aimed at weakening the ADC party.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 6:37 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Leadership

A Firm Rejection of "Faceless" Retirement Rumors

The media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has moved swiftly to shut down viral reports suggesting he has decided to step away from active politics. Describing the claims as entirely false and deliberately misleading, the statement issued in Abuja on Monday clarified that Atiku has no intention of exiting the political stage. The rumors, which began circulating on social media following a purported meeting with African Democratic Congress (ADC) stakeholders, were dismissed as a fabrication by "anti-democratic elements" intent on sowing confusion among the electorate.

Clarifying Recent Political Engagements

Addressing the specific claims of a high-level meeting where he supposedly announced his retirement, Atiku’s media team stated that no such national gathering occurred. The office noted that the former Vice President’s only recent interaction with ADC members took place last Thursday in Adamawa State, and it did not involve any discussion regarding his retirement. The statement emphasized that any fundamental decision regarding Atiku’s political career would be communicated formally through his official media office rather than through "faceless sources" or third-party rumors.

Allegations of State-Sponsored Disinformation

The Atiku Media Office did not mince words in attributing the source of the rumors to the current administration and its agents. The statement alleged that the government is unsettled by a "growing national consensus" aimed at challenging its perceived failures. By sponsoring a narrative of Atiku’s retirement, the office claims that government actors are attempting to slow down the "rising political traction" of the ADC and the broader opposition coalition. The media team characterized the move as a desperate narrative born out of fear of the shifting political landscape ahead of the next electoral cycle.