- Atiku, Coalition Talks Doomed To Fail — APC’s Director
- Ousting APC From Power Reason For Move — Atiku’s Aide
By Kolawole Ojebisi
The coalition move by the opposition parties to unseat the incumbent president, Bola Tinubu, in the next general elections scheduled for 2027 has triggered a war of words between the ruling party and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
The APC Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, initiated the ping-pong of words by ridiculing the coalition discussions, stating that a building could not stand on a faulty foundation.
Ibrahim, who spoke to Sunday Punch, referred to Atiku as a contestant who was solely focused on his ambition.
He stated, “A building on a weak foundation cannot stand. So, the coalition is already faulty from the beginning. Atiku is always advancing just his interest. Atiku is just a contestant. He is not a democrat. He is a contestant as far as he is concerned. Everything he is doing, if it is not going to favor his candidature, he is not going to do it.
“So, he is not doing it in the interest of the nation. He is doing it in his own personal interest. Now, when personal interest supersedes national interest, there is just no way you can win the heart of the nation.
“So, no way, it won’t work. This thing has been done before. It failed, they are going to do it again, and they will fail.”
However in a swift response, the media adviser to Atiku, Paul Ibe, criticised the APC, stating that if the party had performed well in governance, there would be no need for coalition talks to remove them.
Addressing the suggestion that Atiku’s unclear stance on the 2027 presidency and zoning was hindering coalition negotiations, Ibe said that the leaders involved would prioritise what was best for the nation.
He also urged stakeholders and Nigerians not to rush the process. Atiku’s media adviser said, “It’s clear they (APC) don’t know what to do with the mandate given to them; instead, they are scheming for the future. Everything happening, from the declarations of state of emergency in Rivers State, to the destruction of the democratic space, stripping Nigeria of freedom and liberty, silencing people so that no one would have a voice. The emasculation of opposition parties is what they excel at—dividing Nigerians and creating instability.
“Prices are rising, and Nigerians can barely afford a meal. This situation makes you question the true agenda of the APC government. Is it to preside over the destruction, decimation, and obliteration of Nigeria? Is that why they sought power? They should focus on governance. If they had made something out of the mandate given to them, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
He explained that the main focus of all the leaders and stakeholders was to solidify the coalition.
“It’s not just about one individual; it’s a collective effort. I believe they are discussing what is best for them, so we shouldn’t preempt them. Let’s not put the cart before the horse. I believe the priority of all these leaders and stakeholders is how to firmly establish this coalition to have a robust one.
“The goal is to oust the All Progressives Congress (APC), and I believe that’s what’s most important to them right now, not what has been suggested so far,” he added.
