Atiku, PDP Slam Tinubu’s Endorsements: “Nigerians Want Results, Not Stage-Managed Support
Opposition Coalition Accuses APC of Desperation, Weaponizing Anti-Corruption Agencies
As 2027 draws closer, the political temperature continues to rise and the opposition isn’t pulling punches. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have come out swinging, dismissing the recent wave of endorsements for President Bola Tinubu as manufactured, hollow, and a sign of growing panic within the APC-led government.
In a scathing statement issued on Sunday, Atiku’s media adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, said the endorsements by governors and key stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reflect desperation rather than genuine support.
“When you’ve prepared diligently for an exam, you sleep soundly the night before,” Ibe said. “That’s where our coalition stands confident, grounded, and ready. Nigerians, not rented crowds or coerced politicians, will determine the outcome in 2027.”
“Endorsements Don’t Feed the Hungry”
The PDP pointed to the crippling cost of living, spiraling insecurity, and public dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s economic policies as proof that his administration has failed to earn legitimate popular support.
“Families are skipping meals, hospitals are underfunded, and insurgents are reclaiming territory in the North. Yet, the ruling party is busy parading endorsements as if that will solve real problems,” Ibe added.
The opposition also raised serious allegations, accusing the Tinubu administration of weaponizing anti-corruption agencies to intimidate and coerce politicians into defecting to the APC.
“Many of these so-called defectors are victims of blackmail,” he said. “They’re being pressured to ‘pay’ for their freedom with party loyalty. It’s a pattern—targeted corruption probes, threats, and then sudden defections. What we’re witnessing is not ideological alignment but political hostage-taking.”
“This Isn’t 2014 Nigerians Are Watching”
The PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Umar Bature, dismissed the significance of Tinubu’s recent endorsements, drawing parallels with history.
“In 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan had 21 governors backing him. He still lost. Endorsements are a smokescreen they don’t reflect the will of the people,” Bature said.
He argued that governance not political theatrics will define the 2027 outcome, and warned that voters are far more politically conscious today than they were a decade ago.
“Endorsements are cosmetic. They’re what you resort to when you can’t show performance. Nigerians are not blind they see through the PR stunts.”
A Nation on Edge, A Ruling Party Under Fire
The opposition’s remarks come amid a growing wave of discontent across the country. Inflation is at a record high, youth unemployment is soaring, and recent reports of insurgent attacks in Borno State have sparked nationwide concern about the government’s capacity to secure lives and property.
While the APC celebrates endorsements, critics say these moves are tone-deaf in the face of widespread public suffering.
The real question, according to political observers, is not who is endorsing who but whether Nigerians can endure four more years under current conditions.
With 2027 looming large, the battle lines are being drawn not just between politicians, but between performance and propaganda.
Reference
Atiku, PDP Slam Tinubu’s Endorsements: “Nigerians Want Results, Not Stage-Managed Support”