Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has responded to the recent wave of criticism surrounding his political engagements and the defection of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that democracy must accommodate freedom of association, expression, and constructive engagement across party lines.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Atiku said he has been “overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians” over his stance regarding the political shifts, particularly defections.
“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights,” he said, adding that a just society rests on key pillars such as credible elections, rule of law, accountability, and the people themselves.
While affirming his respect for political realignments, Atiku stressed that he bears no ill will toward those exercising their political choices. “Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again,” he noted.
The former Vice President also addressed criticisms trailing his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, challenging what he described as selective outrage and hypocrisy.
“Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari. Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape,” Atiku said.
Drawing parallels with past political developments, Atiku recalled how leaders during the 2013 opposition merger consulted widely, including visits to Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida.
“So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna?” he queried.
He criticized the double standard where PDP leaders can meet with President Bola Tinubu without backlash, yet his meetings with opposition figures or former presidents provoke media storms.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!” he exclaimed.
Atiku further redirected the focus to what he described as Nigeria’s real crisis — the Tinubu-led administration’s economic mismanagement and the resultant hardship facing millions of Nigerians.
“This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another — it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments,” Atiku charged.
He accused the current administration of failing to provide credible leadership, noting: “The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent.”
He concluded with a stern warning: “An incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”
