Atiku’s aide slams Tinubu over attack on opposition attacks, urges focus on ailing economy

Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent remarks targeting the opposition, urging him to focus on fixing Nigeria’s troubled economy and managing his “fractured administration” rather than meddling in the affairs of rival political parties.

The strongly worded rebuke came on Friday via a post on Ibe’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, in response to Tinubu’s comments at the 14th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held Thursday in Abuja.

During the meeting, President Tinubu had mocked the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—a coalition-backed opposition platform—calling it a “coalition of confusion” and suggesting it was wise to “abandon a sinking ship.” The comment was widely interpreted as a swipe at the growing alliance among opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

Ibe described the president’s remarks as “petty and misdirected,” accusing Tinubu of using his office to play divisive politics while ordinary Nigerians endure worsening insecurity, hunger, and economic hardship.

“Attacking the opposition has now become his favourite pastime — even while the country burns under his watch,” Ibe said. “This constant attack is a distraction by a man clearly overwhelmed by the mess in his own house.”

He challenged the President to address pressing national issues, including what he described as the “obvious rift” between Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the deepening crisis of inflation, unemployment, and poverty.

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“We wish to state for the record that Tinubu and his political camp have been sponsoring crises within the opposition parties,” Ibe claimed. “It beats our imagination why the presidency is wasting scarce public funds to stir up internal conflicts just to weaken alternative political voices.”

The statement went further, accusing the APC-led government of attempting to destabilize the opposition through divide-and-conquer tactics. Ibe alleged that the recent tensions between supporters of Atiku and Peter Obi were orchestrated by the presidency but had ultimately failed.

“Unfortunately for them, their divisive game has collapsed — the cracks have been sealed, and the Coalition stands stronger than ever,” he said.

He also accused Tinubu of weaponizing state institutions to harass opposition figures, stating, “The APC is using anti-corruption agencies as tools to blackmail opposition leaders into joining their party.”

Ibe warned that the president’s actions suggest a deliberate attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

“Rather than wipe out the bandits ravaging Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Niger, and other states, Tinubu is more interested in wiping out opposition voices,” he said. “His goal is clear: to eliminate dissent and entrench a one-party dictatorship.”

Concluding his statement, Ibe accused the president of being fixated on a 2027 re-election campaign despite what he called “a controversial and widely rejected mandate” from 2023.

“Let the truth be told: Tinubu fears the Coalition,” he added. “He knows it is the Coalition that will eventually send him packing — either back to Bourdillon or Iragbiji.”

The PDP and other opposition groups have vowed to intensify their efforts to present a unified front ahead of the 2027 general elections. Meanwhile, the presidency has yet to officially respond to Ibe’s allegations.