Wanderer-in-Chief: The Many Political Lives of Atiku Abubakar

In Nigeria’s modern political history, few figures have displayed the sheer political restlessness of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Known for his frequent party switches and ambitious presidential pursuits, Atiku has earned the reputation of a “serial defector” and political nomad. Here is a breakdown of Atiku’s political journey over the past two decades.

Atiku’s rise to national prominence began in 1999, when he was elected Vice President of Nigeria under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, cracks appeared in the relationship, leading to a bitter fallout towards the end of Obasanjo’s tenure.

In 2006, Atiku abandoned the PDP and defected to the Action Congress (AC), under which he contested the 2007 presidential election. The gamble did not pay off as he was defeated by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the PDP.

By 2010, Atiku retraced his steps back to the PDP in a bid to contest the 2011 presidential ticket, but he was beaten at the primaries by incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

As internal conflicts rocked the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections, Atiku again jumped ship, this time to the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014, contributing to the coalition that ousted Jonathan from power.

However, his stay in the APC was short-lived. In 2017, citing frustrations over unfulfilled promises and internal injustices, Atiku returned to his old home — the PDP. He secured the party’s ticket for the 2019 elections but lost to then-incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2022, Atiku again emerged as the PDP’s flagbearer but suffered another defeat, this time to President Bola Tinubu.

With fresh internal wranglings within the PDP and recent comments indicating dissatisfaction, political watchers are speculating on Atiku’s next move. There are whispers of another possible defection as the road to the 2027 elections takes shape.

Despite multiple defeats, Atiku remains a major force in Nigerian politics. Yet, his frequent party-hopping continues to define his legacy as a wandering political gladiator whose ambition knows no ideological bounds.