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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

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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”

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Politics

Atiku appoints Kenneth Okonkwo as spokesperson

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“Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.”

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed actor-turned-politician and ADC chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo as his spokesperson.

Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.

“I give God all the glory for being appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his spokesperson. I thank His Excellency for the immense confidence reposed in me,” he said.

He described the appointment as a reflection of Atiku’s leadership style, noting that the former vice president values dialogue and inclusiveness over resentment.

“Rather than take offence at associates for expressing genuine reservations about any action taken, His Excellency always opts for dialogue and compromise that engender solutions to problems,” Okonkwo stated

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ADC, NDC upload presidential tickets to INEC portal for 2027 polls

In a post on his X handle, Abdullahi described the submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have successfully uploaded the names and particulars of their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi., Peter Obi/ Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The two parties confirmed the development respectively on the X and Facebook.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced on Wednesday that the party had successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi.

In a post on his X handle, Abdullahi described the submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

Similarly, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, disclosed that he had completed his INEC nomination form, using the occasion to call for greater transparency in the electoral process and a renewed focus on governance.

In a post on his Facebook page, Obi said one of the questions on the nomination form, asking whether an aspirant had ever been labelled a lunatic or declared to be of unsound mind, prompted him to reflect on the state of leadership in Nigeria.

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2027: Obi asks INEC to publish candidates’ certificates

Obi made the call while reflecting on questions contained in the INEC nomination form, particularly those relating to mental fitness and certificate authenticity.

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Peter Gregory Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make public the academic certificates and credentials submitted by candidates seeking elective office.

Obi made the call while reflecting on questions contained in the INEC nomination form, particularly those relating to mental fitness and certificate authenticity.

He said that for openness in the electoral system, INEC should publish the certificates and credentials submitted by all aspirants.

According to Obi, making such documents publicly available would help ensure that those seeking public office are held to higher standards of accountability and integrity.

He said, “Have you ever presented a forged certificate to INEC?” Again, the answer is either Yes or No. This raises another important question: Why shouldn’t INEC, in the interest of ensuring that our leaders are exemplary in following the rules and to strengthen public confidence in our electoral process, publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office?”

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