By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar’s team has fired back at President Bola Tinubu and the APC, accusing them of overstepping into opposition party matters while neglecting the country’s economic and security problems.
According to Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media aide, Tinubu’s recent comments about the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the APC’s NEC meeting are evidence of this. Ibe’s statement says that Tinubu is prioritizing his 2027 re-election bid over his presidential duties and ignoring Nigerians’ struggles.
The statement reads, “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.”
Atiku’s team also alleges that the presidency is behind attempts to create divisions within the opposition coalition, specifically between supporters of Atiku and Peter Obi, but claims these efforts have failed. The statement also reads, “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.”
Atiku slammed Tinubu’s administration as ineffective and disconnected from Nigerians’ plight, stating rising insecurity, hunger, and poverty. He accused the President of using state institutions to intimidate opposition leaders and called on him to focus on solving Nigeria’s problems rather than engaging in political distractions.
