Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president and leader of the opposition, has blasted President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly meddling in opposition parties’ affairs rather than addressing Nigeria’s escalating security and economic issues.
Following Tinubu’s most recent jab at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the 14th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, signed a statement containing the critique.
The statement accused President Tinubu’s actions as a last-ditch effort to move Nigeria closer to a one-party state and accused him of using government institutions and resources to undermine opposition parties.
Additionally, it accused Tinubu of focusing too much on winning reelection in 2027 at the expense of his duties as president and the everyday hardships faced by regular Nigerians.
The statement read, “President Tinubu should first resolve the visible rift between himself and Vice President Kashim Shettima and fix Nigeria’s broken economy before meddling in the affairs of the ADC.
“It is baffling that the presidency is spending scarce public funds to fuel internal divisions in an attempt to weaken alternative political voices.”
It further alleged that the presidency was behind tensions between supporters of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi within the opposition coalition, saying the effort had failed.
“We are fully aware that the supposed disagreements between supporters of Atiku and Peter Obi within the Coalition were deliberately stirred up by the presidency. Sadly for them, that divisive tactic has failed. The cracks have been mended, and the Coalition is now stronger than ever,” the statement added.
Additionally, Atiku slammed Tinubu’s administration for being inept and disconnected from the actual problems that Nigerians face.
He cited the rise in poverty, hunger, and insecurity as evidence that the APC-led government was failing and was “directionless, incompetent, and completely disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.”
“While Nigerians face growing insecurity, hunger and poverty, Tinubu is busy playing petty politics. He has abandoned governance and is instead obsessed with his 2027 re-election ambitions, even though he has nothing to show for the 2023 mandate,” the statement said.
The former vice president further charged that the president had intimidated and coerced opposition leaders into joining the APC by utilising anti-corruption agencies and other state institutions.
“Tinubu is now using state institutions, especially anti-corruption agencies, to harass and blackmail opposition leaders into defecting to the APC. But the truth is, Tinubu fears the Coalition. He knows it is this Coalition that will remove him from office, whether it’s back to Bourdillon or Iragbiji,” the statement declared.
President Tinubu was encouraged by Atiku to put an end to the political digressions and concentrate on resolving Nigeria’s urgent issues.
The opposition coalition’s resolve to provide Nigerians with a respectable substitute for the APC-led administration was also restated in the statement.
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