Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has addressed the recent wave of defections from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including that of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his former running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, among others.
In a statement shared via his verified X handle, Atiku said he bears no grudges against those who chose to realign politically, stressing that freedom of association is a constitutional right in any democracy.
“I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts,” Atiku wrote. “Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights.”
He dismissed criticisms of his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying such engagements are normal in a functional democracy.
“Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari. Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape,” he said, recalling similar visits made during the 2013 opposition merger talks.
Atiku accused critics of double standards, saying that while PDP figures dining with President Bola Tinubu are hailed as strategic, his own outreach efforts are vilified.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency,” he stated.
Shifting focus to national issues, Atiku condemned the Tinubu-led administration for what he described as economic failure and increasing hardship across the country.
“The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so,” he said.
Atiku urged Nigerians to resist distractions based on ethnicity, region, or religion, calling such tactics “tools of manipulation” used by those clinging to power without performance.
“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent,” he declared.
The former vice president’s comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, and mounting criticism of the current administration’s handling of economic and security challenges.
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Read Atiku’s post below in full:
I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.
Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.
As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.
Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari. Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape. During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely — including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida. So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.
When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!
Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering. The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.
This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another — it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.
The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board. -AA