Politics

Atiku: “I bear no grudges against PDP Members’ Defectors to APC “

Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights

Published

1 year ago

April 25, 2025

OCHEFA

432 Views

Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in the 2023 presidential election wrote today on his official Facebook page :

“I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.

Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights.

Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.

As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment.

Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.

We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.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.

During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely — including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida.

So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.

Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.

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!

Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering.

The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing.

Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.

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. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.

The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on and no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent.

And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board. -AA”

Related Topics:Featured Political defections Political rights

Up Next

Why Sanwo-Olu is Angry with Peter Obi •What Peter Obi Says At Johns Hopkins University

Don't Miss

Emergency rule: Ibas seeks more time to brief Reps on ‘situation’ in Rivers

Click to comment

Politics

President Tinubu sweeps 2027 APC Presidential ticket

The APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election is being contested by the incumbent President, and a businessman Stanley Osifo, prompting the party to conduct direct primaries to determine its flagbearer.

Published

3 hours ago

May 23, 2026

OCHEFA

15 Views

• Polls Rivers 280,082 vote •Osun 100,800 • Lagos 4,996

Incumbent President Bola Tinubu on Saturday recorded landslides victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary elections across major Nigerian states.

The results from the direct primaries that were announced by states collation officers and tracked by ohibaba.com, shows that President Tinubu swept the majority votes.

Rivers State: Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declared that President Tinubu won the Rivers APC presidential primary with 280,082 vote whereas the only APC presidential contender in the race, Stanley Osifo, scored zero vote.

In Lagos, President Tinubu also polled 4,996 votes at his Ward L2 in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Tinubu emerged overwhelmingly ahead in the exercise conducted at Ireti Nursery and Primary School, Mekwen Street, Off Queens Drive, Ikoyi, where party members gathered in large numbers to participate in the direct primary.

In Osun State, the President polled 100,880 votes to win the exercise against his opponent, Mr Stanley Osifo, who polled zero votes.

Declaring the result of the exercise in Osogbo on Saturday, the Osun State collation officer, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who is the minister of marine and blue economy, commended party members for their peaceful conduct during the exercise.

He said that the party has 109,806 digitally registered members, out of which 100,880 were accredited for the exercise.

His words, “By the powers vested in me as the Collation Officer for Osun State, I hereby declare His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as the winner of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Primary Election 2026 in Osun State.

Politics

2027 POLLS: ADC Clears 705 Aspirants For Primaries

Published

4 hours ago

May 23, 2026

Charles Flames

15 Views

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cleared a total of 705 aspirants to contest various elective positions in the 2027 general elections as its primaries set to begin on Monday.

According to the party, 513 aspirants were cleared for the House of Representatives, while 80 were cleared for the Senate.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a terse update, said the number of aspirants cleared for the various State Houses of Assembly is still being compiled by the state chapters of the party.

“Until the secretariat gets the full reports from the states, it would be difficult to give the figures for the State Assemblies,” the party stated.

The development indicates a significant level of interest within the ADC ahead of the 2027 polls, as the party positions itself as a major contender in the political space.

Politics

APC Presidential Primary: Massive turnout as Amosun, Gov Abiodun, Adeola join party faithfuls at wards, commend exercise

President Tinubu commended party members, governors and officials for the orderly conduct of the exercise across the country.

Published

6 hours ago

May 23, 2026

OCHEFA

21 Views

Photo: President Bola Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the APC presidential primary at his new ward in Ikoyi,Lagos

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, Former Governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Consensus governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola have hailed the conduct of the Presidential Primary of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the State.

The APC Chieftains at their various wards across the 20 local governments area of the State, joined the mammoth APC faithfuls crowd who gathered on a straight line through option A4, affirmed the candidacy of President Bola Tinubu as the Presidential candidate of APC in the coming 2027 general elections.

While speaking at their various locations, they described the massive turnout as a special and a demonstration that Nigerians are for President Tinubu and APC.

They also commended the peaceful conduct of the primary.

Earlier, President Bola Tinubu described the exercise as peaceful, transparent and a demonstration of internal democracy.

Tinubu spoke after participating in the exercise held at Ward L2, Ikoyi II, Ireti Primary School, Mekunwen Street, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government, Lagos, where thousands of party members had gathered for the presidential primary election.

President Tinubu commended party members, governors and officials for the orderly conduct of the exercise across the country.