Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has sparked fresh controversy following comments made during a national conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Monday, January 27, 2025. Atiku warned that Nigeria’s democracy was “imperiled” by the judiciary’s involvement in electoral matters and accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of offering 50 million Naira to opposition leaders to destabilize their parties.
In a statement released by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party dismissed Atiku’s allegations as “bogus and laughable,” characterizing them as an attempt to divert attention from the internal crises plaguing opposition parties. Morka accused Atiku of political desperation, claiming the former Vice President’s leadership was responsible for the PDP’s decline.
APC’s Response to Atiku’s Allegations
Morka criticized Atiku’s remarks on judicial involvement in elections, highlighting the judiciary’s constitutional role in resolving disputes. “Atiku cannot wish away or seek to abolish the courts’ enshrined power to intervene in electoral matters. Ironically, he is Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator,” Morka stated.
The APC also took aim at Atiku’s political history, referencing the controversial elections conducted under his tenure as Vice President during the PDP era. The statement noted how elections in 2003 and 2007 were marred by allegations of malpractice, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo infamously describing elections as a “do-or-die affair.”
“Democracy was not derailed in those perilous days,” Morka argued. “Is it now, with freer and fairer elections, that Nigeria risks losing democracy?”
Opposition Leaders Under Fire
The APC also criticized other opposition figures, including Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, for suggesting that the ruling party might be complicit in opposition party struggles. The APC described such allegations as a “pitiful and incompetent alibi” for their failure to manage their political organizations effectively.
“Opposition figures cannot govern their own parties but tout their ability to lead Africa’s most populous country,” the statement added.
A Call for Constructive Engagement
The APC urged Atiku to focus on rebuilding his party and offering solutions to Nigeria’s challenges instead of making “petty and alarmist” claims. “As a veteran politician, Atiku should understand that democracy is not just about winning elections but respecting the will of the electorate and working towards the greater good of all Nigerians,” Morka concluded.
With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, political tensions continue to rise. Nigerians, however, are increasingly critical of what some see as baseless accusations and political grandstanding. Observers say the electorate expects leaders to prioritize governance and constructive discourse over personal rivalries.
