I Regret Helping to Remove Jonathan in 2015 — Atiku

I Regret Helping to Remove Jonathan in 2015 — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has admitted that he regrets being part of the political coalition that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and removed Goodluck Jonathan from office in the 2015 presidential election, saying Nigeria’s insecurity and economic challenges have worsened under the party’s leadership.

Atiku made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during a joint press conference by opposition political parties convened to protest the amended 2026 Electoral Act, which allows the use of both manual and electronic transmission of election results. Opposition leaders argue that the provision could weaken electoral transparency by encouraging manual processes under claims of network failure.

“I regret being among those who helped form the APC in 2014 to remove Goodluck Jonathan from office,” Atiku said, adding that the country’s situation has deteriorated rather than improved under the current administration.

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He recalled that the APC was formed amid widespread concerns about rising insecurity, economic hardship and democratic governance under the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). According to him, the opposition alliance believed it could correct those challenges and strengthen democracy but ended up failing to meet expectations.

“We came together in 2014 because we felt democracy was faulty, only for us to end up in the same position we found ourselves in then — and even worse,” Atiku stated.

The former vice president stressed that insecurity, which was one of the main issues ahead of the 2015 elections, has expanded across more parts of Nigeria, while economic indicators such as inflation, unemployment, poverty and cost of living have significantly worsened.

“In 2014, the major challenges were insecurity and the economy. Now, those problems are worse than what we fought against,” he added.

Atiku, who served as vice president from 1999 to 2007 under Olusegun Obasanjo, urged opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that Nigeria’s democratic decline could have wider consequences beyond its borders.

“The collapse of democracy in Nigeria will lead to the collapse of democracy in Africa because Nigeria is the largest democracy on the continent,” he said. “We must restore true democracy to our country.”

Several prominent opposition figures attended the press conference, including former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, and Ajuji Ahmed, national chairman of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

A six-time presidential candidate and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku is increasingly positioning himself as a key figure in a growing opposition alliance seeking to challenge the ruling APC in the 2027 polls.

I Regret Helping to Remove Jonathan in 2015 — Atiku