The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fired back at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, dismissing his allegations that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is bribing opposition figures with N50 million each to weaken their ranks ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC, in a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described Atiku’s claims as baseless, laughable, and a desperate attempt to remain politically relevant. The party further accused him of hypocrisy, reminding Nigerians of what it called the “dark era” of electoral manipulation under the Obasanjo-Atiku administration.
In the statement, the APC lambasted Atiku, stating that his obsession with the presidency has blinded him to the reality that Nigeria’s democracy is far stronger than his personal ambitions.
> “As a veteran politician, one would expect Atiku to understand that while democracy is about winning elections, it is, more importantly, about respecting the will of the electorate and working for the greater good of all Nigerians,” the statement read.
The ruling party further mocked Atiku’s repeated presidential bids, branding him a “serial contestant” who has failed to lead his own party, let alone command national support.
“Atiku and other opposition leaders, who struggle to manage their own parties, now wish to dictate the direction of Nigeria’s democracy. Nigerians know better than to be deceived by false alarms and baseless allegations peddled by desperate politicians who are already scheming for the 2027 elections.”
Atiku’s N50 Million Allegation: “Bogus and Laughable”
The APC flatly rejected Atiku’s claim that Tinubu was bribing opposition leaders with N50 million each, saying it was a fabrication with no shred of evidence.
The statement read:
> “Atiku’s allegations are not just bogus but outright laughable. It is ironic that a man who was part of Nigeria’s most infamous electoral manipulations in 2003 and 2007 is now parading himself as a champion of democracy.”
The party recalled that under the Obasanjo-Atiku administration, elections were riddled with rigging, intimidation, and outright vote suppression, particularly in the South-West.
“We cannot forget how Atiku’s PDP forcefully captured South-West states and vowed to rule for 60 years. It was during this era that his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, declared elections to be a ‘do-or-die’ affair. If democracy survived that period, how can Atiku now claim that it is endangered when elections have become far freer, fairer, and more credible?”
Judiciary Under Attack: “Atiku, the Most Prolific Electoral Litigator”
The APC also condemned Atiku’s remarks at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Abuja, where he warned that judicial involvement in electoral matters posed a threat to democracy.
“It is ironic that Atiku, Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator, is now attacking the judiciary. This is the same man who has run to the courts multiple times in a desperate bid to overturn his election losses. His criticisms of the judicial system ring hollow.”
The ruling party accused Atiku of undermining democratic institutions while conveniently using the same institutions for his own benefit.
The APC’s statement did not stop at Atiku; it also took swipes at Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that the opposition is in turmoil.
The party accused them of seeking personal gain rather than offering constructive solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
> “Instead of focusing on rebuilding their fragmented parties and providing alternative governance ideas, these opposition figures are busy throwing baseless accusations and stoking political tension.”
The statement concluded with a scathing remark on Atiku’s credibility:
> “For a man who has contested and lost multiple presidential elections, one would expect a certain level of statesmanship. But instead of engaging in meaningful discourse, Atiku has chosen to peddle unverified rumors. Peddling gossip should be beneath a former Vice President and an elder statesman.”
With the 2027 elections still over two years away, this fierce exchange between the APC and Atiku signals a heated political season ahead, as Nigeria’s political heavyweights jostle for influence in an increasingly divided opposition landscape.
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