The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed concerns about his age, insisting that he has not attained 80 and remains mentally fit to lead Nigeria.
He also asserted that Nigeria’s currently president Bola Tinubu is 90 years old and pledged to provide the evidence backing his claim in court.
Atiku made the remarks in an interview with BBC Hausa published on Friday, while responding to questions about whether his age could constitute a barrier to his ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Asked whether his age would be a challenge, given that he would be approaching 80 by the time Nigerians go to the polls in 2027, Atiku referenced President Bola Tinubu‘s age and challenged the premise of the question.
“You went and voted for someone who is 80, I mean 90 years old. How old is President Bola, 90?” he asked.
The interviewer corrected him, noting that Tinubu was not yet 80.
Atiku then responded: “Do I look to you like someone who has reached 80 years of age?”
“I have evidence Tinubu is 90 years old, and I will present it in court,” says Atiku
He also dismissed concerns about his ability to govern, maintaining that his age should not be used to question his mental capacity or ambition to lead the country, noting that he is not battling any health issues.