By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been urged to drop his 2027 presidential ambition in the interest of national unity and political stability.

Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, made the call on Tuesday in a statement issued in Port Harcourt. He advised Atiku to put the nation first, warning that his persistent bid to lead the country has had far-reaching negative effects, particularly on the Niger Delta region.

Eradiri, who once served as Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa State, accused Atiku of sacrificing the political and economic interests of the Niger Delta in pursuit of his ambition.

He alleged that Atiku’s desperation ahead of the 2023 general election plunged Delta State into huge debts, as former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was compelled to bankroll the PDP presidential campaign in exchange for the vice-presidential ticket.

According to Eradiri, Atiku’s ambition undermined the principle of power rotation between the North and South and fractured the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), rendering it ineffective as a credible opposition party.

“I want to call on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to demonstrate statesmanship by jettisoning his ambition to be President of Nigeria,” Eradiri stated.

“This call is not political. It is borne out of an unbiased assessment of the damage his ambition has caused the people of the Niger Delta. A period that should have been the turn of the South after the North’s eight-year tenure under President Muhammadu Buhari was hijacked. Yet, Atiku insists on contesting again.”

He further noted that Atiku’s insistence on the 2023 ticket led to deep divisions within the PDP and weakened the opposition’s ability to hold the ruling party accountable.

“The PDP is in tatters today because of Atiku. His ambition has alienated the opposition and created instability within the polity.

Every democracy needs a vibrant opposition, but Atiku’s personal ambition has dealt a deadly blow to the PDP, which many Nigerians had relied on to offer an alternative,” Eradiri added.

He concluded by urging Atiku to embrace statesmanship and allow younger, more regionally inclusive candidates to take the lead ahead of 2027.