Atiku: Tinubu attacking ADC to mask failures — he’s overwhelmed

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of meddling in the affairs of opposition parties instead of fixing his “troubled government and broken economy”.

On Thursday, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national executive committee (NEC) meeting, Tinubu taunted the opposition parties.

“It is not a bad idea to abandon a sinking ship and be absent from a coalition of confusion,” Tinubu said while imploring governors elected on the platform of opposition parties to join the APC.

Responding to the president, Atiku, in a statement released by his media team, said Tinubu’s frequent attacks on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition are “a distraction by a man clearly overwhelmed by the mess in his own house”.

Atiku asked Tinubu to address the alleged rift between himself and Vice-President Kashim Shettima and focus on reviving the economy instead of “poking his nose” into opposition matters.

Atiku alleged that Tinubu and his allies have been sponsoring crises within opposition parties by using public funds to fuel internal conflicts and weaken alternative political voices.

“We are fully aware that the supposed tensions between supporters of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi within the coalition were orchestrated by the presidency,” the statement reads.

“Unfortunately for them, their divisive game has failed — the cracks have been sealed, and the coalition stands stronger than ever.”

The former vice-president also criticised the Tinubu administration for being “directionless, incompetent, and disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians” more than halfway into its tenure.

He said while insecurity, hunger, and poverty are worsening, Tinubu has “abandoned” governance and is already fixated on a 2027 re-election campaign “despite having nothing to show for his 2023 mandate”.

Atiku further accused Tinubu of using state institutions, especially anti-corruption agencies, to harass and blackmail opposition leaders into joining the APC.

“Let the truth be told: Tinubu fears the coalition. He knows it is the coalition that will send him packing — either back to Bourdillon or Iragbiji,” Atiku added.