Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the expanded All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, accusing him of assembling politicians to protect his administration from criticism over financial hardship and insecurity.
He additionally condemned the choice to inaugurate the council on the Presidential Villa in Abuja, describing the use of the ability for a partisan occasion as an abuse of public workplace.
In a press release issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku described the revised APC record as “a crowded confession of Tinubu’s fear”.
“Only a man afraid of his record would think he could bury it under hundreds of names. Tinubu can gather every governor, minister and political defector in Nigeria. None of them can erase the hunger in people’s homes, bring back those killed by violence or free Nigerians still held captive. Their families are waiting for answers, not another campaign list,” he stated.
The criticism adopted the APC’s announcement that the council, which is anticipated to coordinate campaign actions forward of the 2027 elections, can be inaugurated on Wednesday on the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
Use of Presidential Villa
The former vice-president accused Mr Tinubu of treating the seat of authorities as an extension of the ruling celebration.
“The Presidential Villa belongs to the Nigerian people. It is not a campaign venue or the private property of any political party. Using it for an APC political event is a gross breach of public trust and a troubling abuse of public office,” he stated.
He questioned why the president selected the Villa when Abuja had different venues appropriate for political gatherings.
“Why, then, did Bola Tinubu choose to inaugurate his campaign council at night, behind the gates of the Presidential Villa?” he requested.
However, the APC had introduced that the inauguration would happen at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, opposite to Atiku’s reference to a nighttime occasion.
Turning to the council’s membership, Atiku accused the president of prioritising political alliances over the welfare of Nigerians.
“When the first list drew criticism, Tinubu had a chance to show that he understood the country’s anger. Instead, he returned with an even longer list, reaching into other parties for more names,” he stated.
“He is collecting politicians like shields against public judgment. Let him collect them all.”
Poverty, insecurity and 2027 election
Atiku additionally cited the 2026 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, saying a further 17.9 million Nigerians had fallen into multidimensional poverty.
The figures cited within the assertion examine an estimated 72.2 million Nigerians dwelling in multidimensional poverty in 2021 with 90.1 million in 2024.
However, the interval started earlier than Mr Tinubu assumed workplace in May 2023, which means all the enhance can’t be attributed to his administration.
READ ALSO: Atiku asks Tinubu to ‘step down’ over economic hardship, says 30-day petrol discount exposes policy failure
“No campaign council, however crowded, can make food affordable, restore a worker’s purchasing power or explain why the sacrifices demanded of ordinary Nigerians never seem to reach Tinubu’s own political circle,” Atiku stated.
He contrasted the APC’s expanded council with the ADC’s campaign construction, which he described as targeted on presenting its case to Nigerians.
“The ADC has assembled a focused campaign team to take its case to Nigerians. Tinubu can keep adding names to his council. He cannot add a name that will make life affordable again for the families struggling under his government,” he stated.
The former vice-president maintained that voters would choose the president by his administration’s document reasonably than the quantity of politicians supporting his re-election.
“On January 16, the ballot will contain no column for the size of a campaign council. Nigerians will judge Tinubu by the lives they have lived under his government,” he stated.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027.
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