Atiku said his repeated attempts were part of his political journey, which began with his opposition to military rule and the disqualifications he faced while seeking to become governor.
The former Vice President made the remarks in an interview with the BBC published on Friday.
Explaining why he had continued to contest despite previous defeats, Atiku said he had never had an easy political career.
“Let me give you my political history. I have run for governor four times because at that time, the people in charge of our transition to democracy were the military, and I was anti-military. Anytime I won, they would disqualify me. And the last time, there was even an attempt on my life, so I went into exile.
“I have never found anything easy in my life, there is nothing new about that. So, contesting for the presidency two or three times is not unusual for my political life.”
When asked why Nigerians should not question his persistent attempts to become president, Atiku said he was exercising his constitutional right.
“It is my constitutional right. I am strong, healthy, and agile. Why should you bother about my constitutional rights?”
Atiku also said he believes he remains the right person to lead Nigeria because the country is not moving in the right direction.
Asked what makes him different from other presidential contenders, he said his experience, competence and patriotism were among the reasons he believes he is qualified to serve.
“I have the experience, the competence, and the patriotism. So why would I not make all this available in service to my country?”
Atiku also spoke about President Bola Tinubu’s age, claiming that the President is 90 years old and saying he has records to support the claim.
“We have a president who is 90 years old now and who is sick, while I am healthy and strong. So why would I not make my services available to my fellow countrymen?”
However, the interviewer pointed out that Tinubu was not yet 90
Responding, Atiku said he had evidence to support his position and would present it in court.
“Well, I have evidence, records that show he is, and I will present them in court.”
On the issue of insecurity, Atiku blamed what he described as government irresponsibility and a lack of attention to the country’s defence needs.
He said the defence sector was undermanned and that Nigeria did not have enough security personnel or equipment to deal with the problem.
“I believe it is due to the irresponsibility of the government because they have not paid attention to our defense needs. One, the defense sector is undermanned. We do not have enough boots on the ground in this country or adequate equipment.”
He recalled that while in government, he raised concerns about the number of police officers in Nigeria compared with Egypt.
“I remember when we were in office, I told the president: “Look, we are over 200 million people, yet we have fewer than 200,000 police officers. Egypt, with a population of about 80 million, has 1 million police officers on the streets, which brings peace.”
Atiku said he would begin to address the security situation within one year if elected president.
“I believe within one year they should see results. Believe me, within one year, we can control this insurgency and the insecurity across the country.”
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