The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi and a former Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, as desperate politicians.
Naija News reports that Atiku, Peter Obi and El-Rufai had attacked President Bola Tinubu-led APC administration over its economic policies.
At the national conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday, Atiku had reportedly warned that the nation’s democracy was somewhat imperiled by judicial involvement in electoral matters.
Atiku also accused Tinubu’s government of paying opposition leaders ₦50 million each to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.
In response, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a statement on Monday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently disintegrating and sinking into oblivion due to the political desperation and excesses of Atiku.
Morka stated that like a badly broken record, Atiku has continued to point fingers at APC for the festering rot in his party, and the spectacular dysfunction of opposition parties generally.
The ruling party also dismissed allegations by Atiku that it was paying the sum of ₦50 million to some opposition leaders in order to weaken the opposition.
The statement reads, “The former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, like a badly broken record, has continued to point fingers at the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the festering rot in his party, and the spectacular dysfunction of opposition parties generally.
“At the national conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday, January 27, 2025, Atiku, warned that the nation’s democracy was somewhat imperiled by judicial involvement in electoral matters. Also, without a shred of evidence, Atiku alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was paying certain opposition leaders a whopping 50 Million Naira each to discombobulate opposition parties in the country.
“It was in the Atiku era as Vice President, particularly in 2003 and 2007, that the PDP conducted the worst elections in our political history. We cannot possibly forget how Atiku’s PDP heavy-handedly captured most South-West states and vowed to remain in power for 60 years. It was in those same years that Atiku’s former boss and then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, infamously described election as a “do or die affair” in a desperate attempt to annex Lagos.
“It is a thing of irony that Atiku, who is Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator, would make such a ludicrous claim that judicial involvement in electoral matters is a threat to democracy. His criticism of the courts and the electoral process rings hollow given his long history of using the courts to further his political agenda. It’s time for him to take a step back and let the democratic process unfold without his interference.
“Nigeria’s democracy is far stronger than Atiku’s political ambitions. We deserve better than petty politicking and alarmist rhetoric from an elder statesman. As a veteran politician, one would expect Atiku to understand that while democracy may be about winning election, it is, more importantly, about respecting the will of the electorate and working towards the greater good of all. Atiku should focus on rebuilding his party and offering constructive solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
“Atiku’s allegation that the APC-led administration was paying out 50 Million Naira to some opposition figures is simply bogus and laughable. Atiku knows that his political desperation is responsible for the PDP’s catastrophic disintegration. Peddling rumors and unsubstantiated allegations should be beneath anyone in the standing of an elder statesman, a former Vice President and a serial contestant for the exalted office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The bizarre suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi, and recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that our great Party may be complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is pitiful, and only an incompetent alibi for their crass failure to manage their own affairs. They cannot govern their parties but tout their ability to govern Africa’s most populous country.
“As discerning citizens, Nigerians know better than to be distracted by the false alarm and hollow allegations of desperate politicians whose only goal is shore up their political relevance in the build up to 2027 general elections.”
The post ‘Desperate Politicians’ – APC Blasts El-Rufai, Peter Obi, Atiku Over Attack On Tinubu’s Govt appeared first on Naija News.