Nigeria’s former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says he will “keep contesting” for the Nigerian presidency as long as he is hale and hearty.

He made this known during an interview on the Hausa service of the Voice of America in Abuja.

77-year-old Atiku was the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.

The politician will be 81 by the time the next presidential election comes around in 2027.

“Of course, I will keep contesting again and again as long as I am alive and healthy,” Abubakar said.

Abubakar has run for the number one office six times but has been on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions, 2007, 2019, and 2023.

Abubakar said he is consoled by the fact that former United States President Abraham Lincoln did not win the presidential vote on the first time of asking.

He also spoke about the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party needs to be united and forge alliances with other political groups to win the presidential election in 2027.

“Even the former US President Abraham Lincoln contested seven times before finally winning,” he said.

“However, given the current state of the PDP, it is clear that a single-handed effort will not suffice to win the election. Strong support and collaboration with other parties are required.”

Last week, Abubakar said he was engaging Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, on the possibility of a merger.

“This is to anybody that thinks there is going to be a misunderstanding between me and Obi, let me assure you that not even a small issue is going to happen between us,” Abubakar said.

“Also, we are going to be behind anybody that will be chosen to represent us in the forthcoming elections.

“I have made it clear in my previous speeches that if our parties are going to merge to agree on a candidate from the south-east, as long as he is qualified, we will allow it.”

The executive governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, said that he did not start governing the state fully until February 2024.

Fubara stated that even though he assumed office in May, he didn’t begin making decisions until February of this year, or eight months later.

He made this statement during the state’s Emohua Local Government Area’s internal road opening for Egbeda.

He said that he had performed incredibly well and won the people’s praise since he began completely taking over governance in February.

Fubara has been involved in a political dispute with his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, but he has not provided an explanation for why he did not begin completely governing during his first eight months in office.

Last October, he survived an impeachment plot by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

On two occasions, members of his cabinet loyal to Wike had resigned while the state Assembly has also been factionalised fuelling crisis in the state.

Speaking on Tuesday, he assured the people of the state of quality projects.

Fubara said, “We are just starting but I assure you more attention. If in four months we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time, two years of our own record time. Rivers State would have experienced something different from the regular governance.

“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February 2024. That was when we started taking decisions, when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.

“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost-effective way.”

Fubara said he was operating a government of transparency, adding that there was a record of all his activities.

He said, “Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.

“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record-keeping so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.

“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision,” he said.

The executive governor of Rivers Stat, Siminalayi Fubara, says he acted based on approvals during his time as the accountant-general of Rivers state.

Fubara spoke on Tuesday while inaugurating Egbeda internal roads in the state.

Early this month, Fubara announced the formation of a judicial panel of investigation to look into how Nyesom Wike, his successor and current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), managed the state’s affairs and resources.

Recall that governor Fubara served as the accountant general under the current FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) designated him wanted in May 2022 due to an alleged N435 billion scam. Nonetheless, the governor declared that he is “not scared of anything” and that he has records of everything he did while serving as the state’s previous governor.

“What we bring to our people is service delivery at record time and cost-effective. Everything we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along. There is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, any time it is there,” he said.

”Even the ones l did before this time, I still have all the records. If you call me any day, I will bring my records of all my activities in government. I know that, as a civil servant, what is most important is record-keeping.

“I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me up any day, any time, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approvals and not personal decisions. We are not going to rest until we make everyone happy in Rivers state.”

Fubara said he started taking decisions as governor in February, eight months after taking over the reins of the state.

“I want to thank you for journeying with us in showcasing the activities of our government in four months. When I say four months, I mean it. We started full governance in the month of February. That was when we started taking decisions and confronting governance,” Fubara said.

“I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done. So, our traditional rulers, don’t be worried; we will watch your back. Don’t be scared of the rumours you hear.”

Although the governor did not explain why he could not make decisions eight months into his administration, it is likely related to the feud between him and Wike.

Fubara and Wike have been engaged in a feud over control of the political structure in the oil-rich state.

The political crisis has resulted in the polarisation of the state house of assembly, while some commissioners loyal to Wike have resigned from Fubara’s cabinet.