Drama as Presidency Replies Atiku Over 'Military Govt' Statement: "You're Less an Elder Statesman"
- The Presidency rebuked former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his claim that Nigeria under President Tinubu is worse than military rule
- Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, described Atiku’s statement as a willful distortion of history and misleading to Nigerians
- The Presidency called Atiku less an elder statesman and urged respect for democratic institutions
FCT, Abuja — The Presidency on Wednesday, January 28, issued a sharp rebuttal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his recent claim that Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is worse than a military government.
Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communication, described Atiku’s statement as alarming and misleading.
Source: Facebook
In a post on his X handle, he said:
“For a man who once occupied the office of Vice President under a constitutional democracy, Atiku Abubakar’s persistent inability—or refusal—to distinguish between democratic governance and military dictatorship is no longer ironic; it is alarming."
He added that Atiku’s claim at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) event was not a mere gaffe but “a willful distortion of history and a further slide into senile dementia.”
Presidency highlights freedoms absent under military rule
Dare emphasised that Atiku’s narrative ignores the liberties Nigerians now enjoy under democracy, freedoms that were extinguished under military regimes.
“The absurdity of Atiku’s ‘dictatorship’ narrative collapses under minimal scrutiny.
“In the same republic he brands tyrannical, he moves freely, convenes political meetings, grants interviews, and attacks the President daily—under full constitutional protection. These are liberties military regimes extinguished without hesitation," Dare said.
He added that comparing economic reforms under the Tinubu administration to military repression “exposes the truth: his only ideology is unfulfilled ambition.”
Atiku described as less an elder statesman
The Presidency accused the former Vice President of being a “serial electoral loser” and said his constant attacks on democratic governance reflect personal frustration rather than principled critique.
“Atiku Abubakar is less an elder statesman than a cautionary tale. Having exhausted ideas and credibility, he has descended into inflammatory exaggeration, hoping chaos might succeed where voters have repeatedly said no," Dare wrote.
The statement also reminded Nigerians of the sacrifices endured during military rule, calling Atiku’s remarks an insult to the memory of those jailed, exiled, or killed under past dictatorships.
Presidency urges respect for democratic institutions
Dare concluded by urging politicians to respect Nigeria’s democratic institutions and historical legacy.
Source: Twitter
“If he truly longs for the ‘order’ of military rule, he should explain why he spent decades masquerading as a democrat. Nigeria has moved on. His cognitive dissonance is no longer a national issue, it is a personal implosion unfolding in public,” the Presidential aide wrote.
The sharp response signals the Presidency’s firm stance against what it described as misleading political rhetoric and a defence of democratic achievements in Nigeria.
Atiku's son speaks on father's fate against Tinubu
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Abba Atiku, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has formally joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared that no political party can defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The former vice president's son made the comment while speaking in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, on Monday, January 26. He had gone to pick up his membership form at Gwadabawa Ward in Yola North local government area of the state.
Source: Legit.ng
