Former Vice President and opposition leader Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of interfering in the affairs of opposition parties, rather than addressing Nigeria’s deepening economic and security challenges.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku condemned Tinubu’s recent criticism of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the APC’s 14th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. He alleged that the president is using state resources and institutions to destabilise opposition parties in a bid to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
According to the statement, Tinubu is more focused on securing re-election in 2027 than governing effectively, ignoring the daily hardships facing ordinary Nigerians.
“President Tinubu should resolve the visible rift with Vice President Kashim Shettima and fix the broken economy before interfering in the ADC’s internal affairs,” the statement read.
“It’s alarming that scarce public funds are being used to deepen divisions within opposition ranks.”
The statement further accused the presidency of orchestrating tensions between supporters of Atiku and Peter Obi within the opposition coalition—an effort it claimed has failed.
“We are aware that the presidency deliberately stirred up supposed disagreements within the coalition. That tactic has collapsed. The cracks have been mended, and the coalition is now more united than ever,” it added.
Atiku described Tinubu’s government as “directionless, incompetent, and disconnected from the suffering of Nigerians,” citing worsening insecurity, hunger, and poverty as evidence of failure.
“While Nigerians face rising hardship, Tinubu is preoccupied with political games and his 2027 ambition, despite having no tangible achievements from his current mandate,” he said.
The former vice president also accused the president of using anti-corruption agencies to intimidate opposition leaders into defecting to the APC.
“Tinubu is weaponizing state institutions to harass and blackmail opposition figures. But he fears the strength of the coalition—because it is this coalition that will remove him, whether he returns to Bourdillon or Iragbiji,” the statement concluded.
Atiku called on Tinubu to abandon political distractions and prioritize governance, while reaffirming the opposition coalition’s resolve to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative to the current administration.
