Claim: Atiku Abubakar has run 8 times to become Nigerian president
Source: Vice President Kashim Shettima
Verdict: False
Researched by Alfa Shaban
Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has claimed that the country’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has contested for the presidency eight times.
Speaking at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign launch in Abuja on October 14, 2026, Shettima added that Atiku is following the path of a top Kenyan politician who failed to win the presidency after repeated runs.
Emphasizing his call for Atiku to respect and duly recognize the sitting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Shettima said: “You can call him Bola; if you like, you can call him Adekunle, but the truth is that he is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
“Atiku Abubakar, I will still respect him and call him as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. I will not follow suit with the maverick, BD Lawal and call him Kachalla. No! But believe me, Atiku Abubakar, who has contested for the presidency of this country for the eighth time, is no Abraham Lincoln; he is more of Odinga Odinga,” he said.
With the 2027 general elections looming, FactSpace West Africa has elected to verify this claim.
Fact-Check
Atiku Abubakar has been a major political actor since Nigeria’s return to multiparty democracy in 1999. Despite winning the Adamawa State governorship election in 1998, he did not take that office because he was picked as Vice President to former President Obasanjo in 1999.
Atiku served with Obasanjo for two terms from 1999 to 2007 on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His bid to become President began in 2007 when the PDP picked then Katsina State governor, Umaru Musah Yar Adua, as its presidential candidate.
Atiku left the PDP in 2006 and joined the Action Congress (AC) party, securing the presidential ticket; so, 2007 was his first time appearing on the general election ballot as the candidate for the Action Congress (AC), finishing third.
In 2019, Atiku returned to the PDP, won the party’s ticket and appeared on the presidential ballot; he lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
After Buhari’s exit in 2023, Atiku retained the PDP ticket and contested again; he finished second, this time behind Bola Tinubu.
As the PDP suffered a leadership crisis that led to factions in the fold, Atiku resigned his membership and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), securing the ADC presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
From the above, Atiku has appeared on a ballot paper for the Nigerian presidency three times – in 2007, 2019, and 2023 and the 2027 elections would be his fourth
Other major political contests Atiku has been involved in were presidential primaries which he lost:
- In 1993, Atiku lost the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primary, losing the nomination to Moshood Abiola.
- In 2011, he contested the PDP primaries, but lost to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
- In 2015, Atiku joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contested the presidential primaries; he lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
Verdict
From the above, Atiku has contested for the Nigerian presidency four NOT eight times. Vice President Kashim Shettima’s claim about an eighth run is False.
