Atiku Vows to Champion Yoruba Interests if Elected President in 2027

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has pledged to ensure that Yoruba interests will feature prominently in his administration’s agenda should he secure the presidency in 2027.

The assurance was made in a statement released on Thursday, September 25, 2025, by his media aide, Kola Johnson. In the statement, Atiku addressed concerns about potential ethnic favoritism, firmly rejecting the idea that his leadership would marginalize the Yoruba or elevate Hausa/Fulani interests above others.

“The Yoruba are my extended family and in-laws,” Atiku declared, citing personal and marital ties to the region as evidence of his longstanding connection. He highlighted his marriage to Titi, a Yoruba woman from Ijesha, which began in the 1970s. The couple shares four children.

“To remind those who may not know, I married my first wife, Titi, a Yoruba woman, in the ’70s. We have four Yoruba children together. Titi, now over 75 years old, and I are still happily married,” he said. “My children with her affectionately call me ‘Baba Rere’—a good father. I cherish them deeply and strive to be the kind of father every man should aspire to be.”

Atiku referred to Titi as his “Jewel of Inestimable Value,” emphasizing the role of Yoruba individuals in both his personal life and political journey. He noted that many of his closest friends and allies over the years have been Yoruba.

“I’ve always been someone who relates naturally across ethnic and religious lines. Long before I entered politics, I was at ease with people from all walks of life, regardless of tribe or background,” he stated.

Atiku reiterated that the South-West would be a key focus of his policies and governance approach if elected.

“For this reason, the interests of the Yoruba will remain at the forefront of my administration’s priorities, should I have the privilege—by Allah’s grace—to become president in 2027,” he affirmed.

Atiku, who finished second to President Bola Tinubu in the most recent general election, is expected to challenge Tinubu again in the upcoming 2027 presidential race.