Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a fiery attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of abandoning governance for political manipulation and warning that Nigeria is teetering toward dictatorship under the guise of democracy. Atiku’s media team issued a statement on Friday, July 26, slamming Tinubu’s remarks during the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where the president mocked the opposition coalition, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The statement, signed by Atiku’s media adviser Paul Ibe, alleged that Tinubu’s government is aggressively using state resources and institutions to fracture opposition parties while ignoring the deepening economic hardship and worsening insecurity across the country. According to the PDP stalwart, this obsession with a 2027 re-election bid is occurring at the expense of real governance.
“Instead of fixing the economy or addressing the surge in hunger and kidnapping, the president is busy stoking chaos within the opposition,” the statement read. “Even the visible tensions between Tinubu and Vice President Shettima remain unresolved, yet he finds time to meddle in ADC affairs.”
Atiku’s camp also accused the presidency of orchestrating phantom divisions between his supporters and those of Labour Party’s Peter Obi, claiming the plot was designed to derail the coalition movement. “That game failed. The cracks have been healed, and our Coalition is now stronger and more united,” the statement declared.
Citing Tinubu’s alleged misuse of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft bodies, Atiku’s media office claimed the administration is blackmailing opposition leaders into defecting to the APC. “This presidency fears the strength of a united opposition. That’s why they’ve weaponised anti-corruption institutions,” it said.
With public discontent growing over high food prices, record inflation, and heightened insecurity, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of being “directionless, incompetent, and disconnected from reality.” He urged the president to cease the political distractions and focus on delivering meaningful leadership, saying, “Governance is not a game of chess played with people’s lives.”
The statement concluded by reaffirming the opposition coalition’s commitment to providing a credible, people-focused alternative in 2027. “Our message is clear — Nigerians deserve better. We will not be intimidated into silence or submission,” it added.
