Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a serial defector and seventh-time contender for the presidency, is in the news again.

On Wednesday, May 27, Atiku emerged as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential standard-bearer for the 2027 general elections.

Atiku has since 1993 been eyeing the presidency, but all to no avail.

He fought for ticket seven times and was on the ballot, thrice. He will be on the ballot the fourth time in the 2027 presidential election on the ADC platform.

He threw his hat in the ring in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 as well as for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Will 2027 be a turning point in his political odyssey or will it be like the previous years?

Atiku was on the ballot in 2007, 2019, and 2023. He will be again in 2027, having won ADC’s presidential ticket.

At 79, 2027 may be his last attempt at having a shot at the Presidency.

Atiku will be 80 years old by the time of the next presidential election in 2027.

In April 2026, Atiku said the 2027 general elections will be his last attempt at becoming president, citing his age and the high stakes involved.

Atiku ventured into politics in the 1980s when he campaigned for Bamanga Tukur, a former governor of the old Gongola State.

He first contested for the presidential ticket in 1992 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) before stepping down for the late Moshood Abiola.

He later ran in 2007 under the Action Congress, losing to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Here is a timeline of presidential elections and primaries Atiku contested in and lost:

1. In 1992, he contested the SDP presidential primaries, losing out to Moshood Abiola and Babagana Kingibe.

2. He was the presidential candidate of the Action Congress in the 2007 presidential election. He came third in the race, trailing Umoru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP.

3. He contested the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2011 presidential election losing out to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

4. In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primaries losing to Muhammadu Buhari.

5. In 2017, he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election. Again, he lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

6. In May 2022, he was elected as the PDP presidential candidate for the 2023 general election after he defeated Nyesom Wike, then Governor of Rivers State, in the primaries. But he lost to the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

7. Atiku, who was PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, defected to the ADC in 2025.

Now, he has emerged as ADC’s presidential standard-bearer for the 2027 general elections. (The Nation)

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