Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party have dismissed recent endorsements for President Bola Tinubu by All Progressives Congress governors and stakeholders, describing them as acts of desperation.
While Atiku expressed confidence in the opposition coalition’s ability to win the 2027 elections, the PDP pointed to widespread discontent with Tinubu’s economic policies and governance.
Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, stated that the coalition remains unshaken by the endorsements, comparing their position to a well-prepared student awaiting an examination.
“When you’ve prepared diligently for an exam, you can sleep soundly the night before, waking up assured of success. That’s the position of our coalition,” Ibe said. He emphasized that Nigerians, not political maneuvers, will determine the election’s outcome.
“The recent endorsements reveal the panicked state of this administration. Insecurity is at an unprecedented level, with territories being reclaimed by insurgents in Borno State and other regions. The cost of living is unbearable. Families struggle to feed themselves, access healthcare, or send their children to school. As school fees are due, many are weighed down by these burdens. Yet, the government has done little to address these challenges, choosing instead to focus on political games,” Ibe added.
He further accused the Tinubu administration of using anti-graft agencies to coerce opposition figures into defecting to the APC.
“These defections are not driven by ideology or preference for the APC. Politicians are being held hostage and compelled to defect. Some of these individuals are being targeted for corruption, both by former governors and the current administration. They are being pressured to pay a ransom, which manifests as defections. This is what happened in Delta State and elsewhere. Even the so-called ‘quiet bomb’ that has been hinted at is a result of crimes committed by their predecessors. These are being used as leverage to shake them down, hold them hostage, and negotiate their defection to the ruling party,” Ibe alleged.
The PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Umar Bature, downplayed the significance of political endorsements, recalling that former President Goodluck Jonathan had the backing of 21 governors in 2014 but still lost the election.
“Tinubu has 22 endorsements. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a matter of time. The issue isn’t endorsement; the issue is whether you’ve done the right thing for the country.
“Endorsements are merely cosmetic. People resort to them when they know they’re not serving the interests of the people they claim to represent,” Bature stated.
Addressing internal party matters, Bature dismissed claims of a crisis within the PDP. “There is no crisis. Members are simply expressing their views. If they say they want to leave the party, time will tell. These matters will resolve themselves,” he said.
