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Tinubu Obsessed with Re-election, Neglecting Governance – Atiku
Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu for being overly focused on the 2027 election, despite lacking tangible achievements from his 2023 mandate.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku urged the President to prioritize addressing insecurity, reviving the economy, and refraining from interfering in opposition affairs.
During the inauguration of the newly appointed APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, President Tinubu suggested that more opposition figures would defect to the ruling party, remarking that “you can’t stop them from jumping out of a sinking ship.”
In response, Atiku said President Tinubu has made attacking the opposition a frequent habit, and urged him to instead focus on addressing his differences with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The former Vice-President stated, “Attacking the opposition has now become his favourite pastime — even while the country burns under his watch. This constant attack on the opposition is a distraction by a man clearly overwhelmed by the mess in his own house.
“President Tinubu should first sort out the obvious rift between himself and Vice President Kashim Shettima and the broken Nigerian economy before poking his nose into the affairs of the ADC.
“We wish to state for the record that Tinubu and his political camp have been sponsoring crises within the opposition parties. It beats our imagination as to why the presidency is resorting to wasting scarce public funds to stir up internal conflicts in a bid to weaken alternative political voices.
“We are fully aware that the supposed tensions between supporters of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi within the Coalition were orchestrated by the presidency. Unfortunately for them, their divisive game has failed – the cracks have been sealed, and the Coalition stands stronger than ever.”
Atiku accused President Tinubu of weaponizing state institutions, particularly anti-corruption agencies, to intimidate and coerce opposition leaders into defecting to the APC.
The statement continued, “It’s alarming that more than halfway into his controversial and widely rejected mandate, Tinubu is still leading an APC government that is directionless, incompetent, and completely disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“While Nigerians grapple with worsening insecurity, hunger, and poverty, Tinubu is busy playing petty politics. He has abandoned governance and is fixated on a 2027 re-election campaign despite having nothing to show for his 2023 mandate.
“Rather than wipe out the bandits ravaging Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Niger, and other states, Tinubu is more interested in wiping out opposition voices. His goal is clear: to force Nigeria into a one-party state.
“He is now using state institutions — especially anti-corruption agencies — as tools to harass and blackmail opposition leaders into joining the APC. But let the truth be told: Tinubu fears the Coalition. He knows it is the Coalition that will send him packing — either back to Bourdillon or Iragbiji.”
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, is set to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025.
The development would put to rest months of speculation about where the former Governor of Anambra State would pitch his tent in the coming elections.
Reports claim that Obi would be defecting with serving senators and other lawmakers elected on the platform of the LP, as well as remnants of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East region.
Specifically, Obi would be defecting alongside the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh; that of Anambra North, Tony Nwoye; Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe; PDP chieftain Ben Obi; and members of the Obidient movement in the region.
It is not clear if the Abia State governor, Alex Otti, is part of the planned movement to the ADC.
The governor was recently approached by the PDP to join the party and re-contest his current position in 2027.
Further reports quoted Obi’s spokesperson, Valentine Obienyem, as confirming the planned defection of his boss to the ADC.
“Yes, it is true,” he reportedly said on Sunday.
Senator Umeh said the event would hold in Enugu, adding that it would involve all Obi’s supporters across the South East region.
“They will come from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states to join those in Enugu, where this exercise will hold on 31st December,” he reportedly added.
Sources hinted that Obi, who has not hidden his intention to appear on the ballot in 2027, would contest the presidential ticket of the ADC.
On his part, Chief Chekwas Okorie, reportedly said that the expected formal defection of Obi to the ADC is a healthy development that could reshape the thinking and permutations of the 2027 general elections.
“I imagine that he would be defecting along with most of his associates and followers. I believe that a fortified and strong ADC will add value to the opposition and assuage the general fear of a possible one-party option to Nigerians come 2027. The APC, ADC and possibly the PDP locking horns in the 2027 democratic encounter promises a vibrant and robust electioneering campaign that will provide Nigerians the required options to make informed choices in electing their preferred leaders at all levels. I imagine that the APC leadership will return to the drawing table to map out the strategy to confront the emerging challenge. Nigerians are in interesting times,” Okorie stated.
National President of Njiko Igbo Forum (NIF), Rev Okechukwu Obioha, vouched support for Obi to ensure he reaches the pinnacle of his political career. He, however, cautioned that the ADC should not compromise merit and integrity in the choice of its presidential candidate, stressing that Obi remains the “hope for the restoration of the country on the path of greatness.”
