The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has warned that the wave of defections by opposition governors is not a sign of All Progressive Congress APC strength, but evidence of pressure and intimidation.
Reacting to the defection of Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, Atiku said political realignments are not new.
He declared that the 2027 election will be a straight fight between Bola Tinubu and the APC on one side, and the Nigerian people on the other.
The former Vice President who stated that every politician is free to choose a path and he respects that right, adding that even his children are free to take independent political positions.
However, Atiku clarified that anyone including his son who chooses to stand with Nigerians rather than the APC is standing on the side of patriotism.
He accused the Tinubu administration of weaponizing state institutions to bully political opponents in a desperate bid to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
“This government fears accountability. It fears credible elections. It fears the people,” Atiku said.
According to him, no amount of coercion can erase the daily hardship Nigerians face — rising hunger, crushing poverty, worsening insecurity, and mass unemployment caused by failed economic policies.
“Governors may defect for personal survival. Nigerians are defecting in their millions because they want survival.”
The ex-Vice President urged citizens not to confuse political cross-carpeting with popularity. “What will the APC campaign on in 2027 — hunger? hardship? hopelessness?”
He reminded Nigerians that power ultimately belongs to them and warned against vote-selling. “Do not trade your future. Do not mortgage your children’s tomorrow. In 2027, the people will have their say — and their will shall prevail.”
Twenty-two commissioners and special advisers in Adamawa have announced their defection to the APC less than 24 hours after Ahmadu Fintiri, the Governor of the state, dumped Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling party.Announcing his formal defection to the APC in a statewide broadcast on Friday, Fintiri said members of his cabinet and the PDP in the state had moved with him to the APC.
Before Fintiri’s defection, 15 lawmakers of the Adamawa state house of assembly had, on Wednesday, February 26, resigned from the PDP.
Bathiya Wesley, speaker of the house, announced the lawmakers’ defection during the plenary, citing the “lingering crisis” in the PDP, the Cable reports.
