Adamu Garba quits politics to focus on technology, AI and his leadership roles at IPI Group after nine years of political involvement
Former All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant Adamu Garba announced in Abuja on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that he was stepping back from active politics to focus exclusively on his technology business and leadership responsibilities at IPI Group Limited.
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Garba said the decision followed careful reflection about the demands of his corporate responsibilities and his ability to combine them with sustained political engagement.
In a statement shared on his X account, Garba said he would concentrate on his roles as Executive Chairman of IPI Group Limited and Chief Platform Architect of the group and its subsidiaries.
“To my friends, associates, party leaders, supporters and the general public, after careful reflection, I write to formally announce my decision to scale down all politically related activities and to focus exclusively on my responsibilities as Executive Chairman of IPI Group Limited and Chief Platform Architect of the Group and all its subsidiaries,” Garba said.
The former presidential aspirant explained that his responsibilities required a level of personal involvement that could not easily be balanced with extensive political activity.
He said the work demanded his “sustained personal attention, technical depth and a presence that cannot be delegated”.
Garba said he had therefore chosen to give his full attention to developing what he described as an AI-first enterprise, while using technology to contribute to Nigerian and African society.
“In all honesty, they cannot be carried alongside heavy political participation without one or the other suffering,” he said.
The announcement marks a significant shift for Garba, who spent about nine years building a political profile within the APC and positioning himself as a prominent voice among younger political aspirants.
Garba first declared his intention to seek the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2019 election. His political messaging focused heavily on structural reforms, youth participation and national integration.
He again pursued the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 election but withdrew from the contest in 2022.
His withdrawal came amid criticism of the APC’s N100 million cost for its expression-of-interest and nomination forms.
Garba argued that the fee could make political participation increasingly inaccessible to younger Nigerians without substantial financial resources.
His campaign reportedly raised about N83.2 million in donations, with Garba saying the money would be returned to contributors following his withdrawal.
Although he stepped away from the 2023 presidential contest, Garba continued to maintain links with the APC and remained active in public discussions on politics and national development.
With the latest announcement, Adamu Garba quits politics as an active pursuit and turns towards technology, particularly artificial intelligence, as the central focus of his next phase.
Garba also expressed gratitude to supporters who had backed his political journey, acknowledging that the experience had shaped his outlook.
“I am deeply grateful for the interest, the invitations and the collective support I have received throughout my political journey over the past nine years,” he said.
“That season shaped me, and I do not take lightly the confidence that was placed in me.”
His decision does not amount to a formal statement that he has abandoned public service permanently.
Rather, Garba’s wording indicates that he is scaling down political activities while placing his immediate priorities on enterprise, technology and AI development.
The move comes as technology and artificial intelligence increasingly feature in debates about Nigeria’s economic future, job creation and the country’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
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For Garba, the next chapter will therefore be defined less by political campaigns and more by what he can build through technology.
