'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as comical and baseless the recent claim by former Vice President and 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is paying opposition leaders 50 million naira each to destabilize opposition parties.
In a statement issued by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party dismissed the allegations as a desperate attempt by Atiku to deflect attention from the internal disarray within the PDP, which Morka attributed to Atiku’s own political maneuvers.
Speaking at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria in Abuja on January 27, 2025, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of bribing opposition figures to create division within their ranks. The APC, however, described this claim as a hollow and unsubstantiated attempt to paint the ruling party as complicit in the struggles of opposition parties.
“Atiku's allegation that the APC-led administration was paying out 50 million naira to some opposition figures is simply bogus and laughable,” the statement read. “Peddling rumors and unsubstantiated allegations should be beneath anyone in the standing of an elder statesman, a former Vice President, and a serial contestant for the exalted office of President.”
The APC argued that Atiku’s desperation to remain politically relevant has been a significant factor in the PDP’s disintegration. The ruling party pointed out that internal conflicts, mismanagement, and lack of direction within the PDP are self-inflicted and cannot be blamed on external forces.
“Atiku knows that his political desperation is responsible for the PDP’s catastrophic disintegration. Rather than concocting baseless stories, he should focus on rebuilding his party and offering constructive solutions to Nigeria's challenges,” Morka said.
The statement also addressed similar claims by other opposition leaders, including Peter Obi and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, calling such allegations “pitiful and an incompetent alibi for their crass failure to manage their own affairs.”
The APC further criticized Atiku’s remarks at the conference regarding the judiciary’s involvement in electoral matters, labeling it hypocritical given his long history of taking electoral disputes to court.
“It is ironic that Atiku, who is Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator, would make such a ludicrous claim that judicial involvement in electoral matters is a threat to democracy. His criticism of the courts and the electoral process rings hollow,” Morka stated.
The APC reminded Nigerians of Atiku’s role during the PDP-led administration from 2003 to 2007, a period characterized by allegations of election manipulation, strong-arm tactics, and attempts to dominate the political landscape for 60 years.
The APC concluded its statement by urging Nigerians to ignore Atiku’s “false alarms” and focus on the progress being made under the Tinubu administration. The party reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening democracy and delivering good governance.
“Nigeria's democracy is far stronger than Atiku's political ambitions. As discerning citizens, Nigerians know better than to be distracted by the hollow allegations of desperate politicians,” the statement concluded.
