Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has come down hard on President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urging them to stop attacking opposition parties and face Nigeria’s worsening economic and security crises.
In a strongly-worded statement released by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused Tinubu of being more interested in politics than governance. The statement came after the President mocked the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the 14th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
Atiku alleged that Tinubu is using government resources and state institutions to destabilize opposition parties, warning that such actions were a desperate move towards turning Nigeria into a one-party state.
“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,” the statement said.
He criticized the government for spending scarce public funds to fuel internal divisions among opposition parties instead of addressing the real problems plaguing ordinary Nigerians.
Atiku also accused the Presidency of being behind attempts to create tension between his supporters and those of Peter Obi, noting that such tactics 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.
The former Vice President did not mince words in describing Tinubu’s administration as “directionless, incompetent, and disconnected from the suffering of Nigerians.” He pointed to rising insecurity, hunger, and poverty as clear signs of failure.
Atiku further accused Tinubu of weaponizing anti-corruption agencies and other state institutions to intimidate opposition leaders into joining the APC.
He concluded by urging the President to drop the political distractions and focus on delivering real solutions to the country’s pressing problems.
