Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to meet the expectations of Nigerians, saying the government has no achievements to justify a re-election in 2027. Punch reports.
Atiku also noted that he had no resentment towards those joining other parties, insisting that freedom of association was a fundamental component of any true democracy.
On Wednesday, the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the immediate past governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa; left the Peoples Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Also, a member of the House of Representatives, Oluwole Oke, resigned from the PDP and joined the APC on the same day.
Atiku, in a statement on Friday, said, “I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.
“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy; they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society; the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.
“As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.”
Atiku knocked those who criticised his visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, calling the backlash hypocritical and an example of selective outrage.
He stated, “Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape.
“During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely, including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida. So, why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called a strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, El-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable.”
The former VP stated that the coming 2027 political contest was a struggle between the Nigerian people and the administration of President Tinubu.
“This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another; it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.”
“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake, an incompetent captain not only wrecks his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”
Kwankwaso weighs options
In a related development, Saturday PUNCH learnt that a former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and his party, the New Nigeria People’s Party, were currently exploring their political options.
A reliable source revealed that the members of the party were considering either aligning with the APC or joining Atiku’s coalition movement.
The source stated, “What I can confirm is that Kwankwaso and the NNPP will not contest independently as they did in the 2023 elections. Considering the current political landscape, they are weighing the possibility of either joining President Tinubu’s APC or aligning with the coalition led by Atiku, el-Rufai, and others.”
In response, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, confirmed in an exclusive interview with our correspondent that those political options were indeed being considered.
He stated, “Well, so far, what I’ll say is this: in the NNPP, we tend to, at least from our own history as the Kwankwasiyya movement, wait till midterm. May 29th will be the midterm for this administration. It will be two years down, and two years to go. That is when we believe that proper politicking will commence.
“So, yes, we are talking, and we’ve been talking. But you’ll recall that at that time, I told you I didn’t want to mention specifically the groups or persons or movements that are in conversation with us. That is still the position now.”
Johnson added, “You’ll recall that there have been many publications in newspapers and online, insinuating that Senator Kwankwaso is moving to the APC, that it is imminent and all that. That is just the nature of the game. Some people are pressing or pushing that narrative for their selfish reasons.
“But the bottom line is that very soon, they will begin to hear from us. We will tell our supporters what we are doing. There are basically three cards on the table: either we remain in the NNPP and continue with those who joined us all the way or we form some sort of coalition with Atiku, others; or we form an alliance with the ruling party. I am not saying any of these is the case now. But these are the three basic options that could happen.”
