Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says the Presidency is gripped by panic over his planned opposition coalition, reaffirming his position as Nigeria’s most formidable opposition figure.
Atiku’s media office issued a fiery statement on Monday responding to remarks by Daniel Bwala, the special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication. Bwala, who served as Atiku’s spokesperson during the 2023 presidential campaign, had said in a television interview that Atiku should abandon any ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election.
“If I have the opportunity to meet him face to face, I would tell him to believe in destiny. God gives power to whomever He chooses, and it may not have been God’s will for him to govern Nigeria,” Bwala said, claiming Atiku had already lost 60–70% of his political base.
In response, Atiku’s team called Bwala’s remarks “disparaging,” accusing the Tinubu administration of being rattled by the opposition alliance forming under Atiku to “rescue and rebuild Nigeria.”
“It is ironic and pathetic that Bwala a political turncoat who once served as spokesperson for Atiku’s 2023 campaign now presumes to lecture a statesman of global standing on matters of legacy, destiny, and retirement,” the statement read.
The media office alleged that Bwala’s shift was driven by personal political gain and said the ruling party’s fixation on Atiku exposed deep concern.
“If, as they claim, Atiku is a spent force, why the relentless smear campaign? The answer is plain: Atiku Abubakar remains the single most formidable opposition figure in Nigeria, and the coalition he is forging represents a clear and present danger to the decaying edifice of the ruling party.”
They further emphasized that the coalition’s mission is to save Nigeria from “economic collapse, institutional failure, and democratic erosion,” arguing that Atiku’s legacy as a “unifier, builder, and patriot” is firmly embedded in the national consciousness.
“We reaffirm, unequivocally, that the Waziri Adamawa remains focused and unshaken in his commitment to Nigeria’s future. He will not be distracted by political jesters masquerading as patriots,” the statement concluded.
