Garba Mohammed
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of meddling in the affairs of opposition parties, urging them instead to focus on addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
Reacting to recent comments made by President Tinubu during the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Atiku said it was inappropriate for the president to attack the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a time when the country is grappling with economic hardship and rising insecurity.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku alleged that the Tinubu administration has been using state resources and institutions to destabilise political opponents, describing the conduct as undemocratic and a veiled attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
He said, “Rather than fix the country’s broken economy or address the internal discontent within his own government, President Tinubu is expending public funds to create division and confusion among opposition ranks. This is not only wasteful but dangerous for Nigeria’s democracy.”
The former vice president also alleged that the presidency was behind efforts to incite conflict between his supporters and those of Labour Party’s Peter Obi in a bid to fracture the emerging opposition coalition. He said such tactics had failed and the alliance was growing stronger by the day.
“The Tinubu administration miscalculated. The artificial cracks it tried to create within the opposition have been sealed. The coalition is now more united, more focused, and more determined to present Nigerians with a credible alternative,” Atiku stated.
He further criticised the president for being disconnected from the realities of Nigerians, accusing his government of lacking both vision and competence.
“Nigerians are dealing with rising prices, joblessness, hunger, and widespread insecurity, yet the president is fixated on political gamesmanship and 2027 election calculations,” the statement noted.
Atiku also alleged that anti-corruption agencies were being used as political tools to harass and blackmail opposition figures into defecting to the APC, a strategy he said only highlighted the president’s fear of a strong political challenge.
“President Tinubu is attempting to intimidate opposition leaders with the threat of state power, but the people see through it. He knows that only a united opposition can end his reign, and that reality clearly unsettles him,” he said.
The opposition leader called on President Tinubu to redirect his energy toward governance, and deliver on his campaign promises rather than engaging in partisan attacks. He reaffirmed his commitment to working with other political actors to build a credible and people-focused alternative to the APC-led government.
“Nigeria deserves real leadership, not political distractions. The future of the country is at stake, and no amount of intimidation or propaganda can stop the winds of change already blowing,” Atiku concluded.