Yemi Obafemi
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that mounting hypocrisy, worsening economic hardship, and alleged incompetence under the Tinubu administration pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement released on Saturday, Atiku reaffirmed his commitment to democratic principles, stressing that freedom of association and expression are fundamental rights in any democracy.
“Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics,” Atiku said. “We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.”
Atiku criticized what he described as “hypocrisy and selective outrage,” pointing out that while some PDP leaders openly engage with President Bola Tinubu without backlash, his meetings with figures like Peter Obi, Nasir el-Rufai, or Buhari draw unjustified criticism.
Shifting focus to the nation’s broader challenges, Atiku called on Nigerians to unite against what he termed the “abysmal failure” of the Tinubu administration. He highlighted worsening economic conditions, rising inflation, unemployment, and growing youth restiveness as signs of national distress.
“The coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC,” Atiku declared. “It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering.”
He warned against distractions based on ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments, describing them as divisive tools wielded by incompetent leaders.
“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend,” he said. “An incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”
Addressing criticisms over his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku defended his actions, noting that consultations across political lines are not new in Nigerian politics. He recalled that during the 2013 opposition merger, leaders visited former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida without controversy.
“Why is it now sacrilegious for me to visit Buhari in Kaduna?” he asked. “If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.”
