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If There’s Any Desperate Politician, It Is Tinubu, Filling INEC Position With His Loyalist—Atiku...TAP HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS.>>
According to DAILY INDEPENDENT, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of struggling under the weight of its own credibility issues, amidst growing concerns about the party’s grip on political power and its impact on Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this statement in response to a recent attack from APC, with party spokesperson Felix Morka describing him as a “desperate politician.”
Atiku, in his response, described APC as exhibiting signs of paranoia and pointed out the party’s reluctance to engage in meaningful discussions about Nigeria’s democracy. His remarks came after a two-day national conference organized by the Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development, which focused on Nigeria’s democratic future. The former Vice President criticized the ruling party for its growing control over political institutions, warning that this posed a serious threat to democratic values in the country. He specifically accused APC of suppressing opposition voices and transforming into a tool for the personal ambitions of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku’s criticism followed a personal attack by Felix Morka, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, who had labeled Atiku as a desperate politician. In response, Atiku’s Media Aide, Paul Ibe, pointed out that APC’s approach of resorting to personal attacks was a distraction from pressing national issues. Ibe further claimed that President Tinubu was using his position to further his personal control over the country.
Atiku’s statement also touched on a series of alleged actions that he claims demonstrate the Tinubu administration’s disregard for democratic principles. He accused President Tinubu of appointing loyalists to key government positions, including influential roles within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), an independent body tasked with overseeing elections in Nigeria. This, according to Atiku, was part of a broader pattern of political manipulation to ensure that political institutions served Tinubu’s personal and political interests.
Additionally, Atiku accused the government of awarding lucrative contracts to companies linked to Tinubu’s family, suggesting that the president’s actions were focused on enriching himself and consolidating power rather than serving the needs of the Nigerian people.
Atiku also warned that the administration was suppressing peaceful protests by labeling activists as criminals, stifling any form of social or political opposition. He claimed that opposition parties were now struggling to survive in an environment where internal saboteurs were weakening opposition movements. Atiku suggested that the government’s ultimate goal was to ensure that every political party, including the APC itself, became entirely dependent on President Tinubu’s influence.
Atiku’s statement underscored his concerns about the growing concentration of power in the hands of the president, describing it as a “repeated symptom of a party gripped by paranoia and struggling under the weight of its own tarnished credibility”. He further emphasized that it was President Tinubu himself who truly embodied desperation, with his unchecked actions magnifying his control over Nigeria’s political and governmental institutions.
The former Vice President warned that the actions of the ruling party and its leadership were a direct threat to Nigeria’s democracy, with the president’s calculated strategies to undermine opposition and political freedom alarming political observers both within and outside the APC. Atiku emphasized the danger of these actions, particularly the packing of INEC with loyalists, which he argued further hollowed out the commission’s independence and integrity, thus undermining the very essence of free and fair elections.
Atiku’s comments have reignited concerns about the state of democracy in Nigeria under the Tinubu administration, with growing fears over the erosion of democratic principles and the increasing centralization of power in the hands of a few political elites.Full Details
