Atiku Vows Not to Force Governors Into Party Defections If Elected President
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged that he would not use federal resources or financial inducements to pressure state governors into abandoning their political parties if elected president in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge on Wednesday night during a live Hausa-language interview with major radio stations across Northern Nigeria, where he said his administration would uphold the principles of federalism and respect the political choices of state governors.
“I will not force Governors to leave their party as President. That is not democracy. They will get their monies and we will ensure they do the work,” Atiku said.
The former vice president said his responsibility as president would be to ensure that states receive their statutory allocations and use the funds to provide services and infrastructure for their people, regardless of the political parties controlling the states.
His comments come amid allegations of financial inducements and political pressure allegedly being used to attract opposition governors into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reports cited in the allegations have claimed that governors who recently defected to the APC were offered substantial financial packages. One report published by Sahara Reporters in November 2025 alleged that each governor received a package of ₦250 billion, purportedly divided into an initial ₦100 billion grant and a subsequent ₦150 billion payment.
The claims have not been independently established, while the Presidency and APC have not been shown in the material provided to have confirmed such an arrangement.
Separately, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi has accused some APC governors of diverting deductions from Federation Account allocations to finance President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, alleging that more than ₦800 billion had been raised through such deductions.
The allegations have also prompted legal action.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is reported to have filed suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2026, seeking an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate claims that some APC governors made monthly contributions from Federation Account allocations to a fund allegedly created for Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The allegations remain subject to legal and factual verification.
Atiku, however, used his interview to draw a distinction between his proposed approach and what he described as political coercion, insisting that governors should be free to belong to parties of their choice while carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
The ADC candidate’s position is likely to feature prominently in the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly as political parties intensify efforts to win the support of governors and other influential political actors.
