Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly interfering in the affairs of opposition parties rather than focusing on Nigeria’s deepening economic and security crises.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku condemned Tinubu’s recent remarks about the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the 14th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, describing them as part of a broader attempt to weaken opposition parties.

The statement accused President Tinubu of misusing state resources and institutions to destabilize political rivals, calling it a “desperate bid” to push Nigeria toward a one-party system.

It also claimed that Tinubu was more concerned with his 2027 re-election ambitions than with addressing the country’s current challenges, including economic hardship and national insecurity.

“President Tinubu should first resolve the visible tension between himself and Vice President Kashim Shettima, and fix Nigeria’s struggling economy, instead of interfering in ADC’s internal matters,” the statement read.

Atiku’s camp further alleged that the presidency was behind recent divisions between supporters of Atiku and Peter Obi within the opposition coalition—an effort they say has failed.

“We know these rifts were orchestrated by the presidency to sow discord, but they’ve been repaired. The coalition is now more united than ever,” it added.

Atiku went on to label Tinubu’s administration as “incompetent, rudderless, and out of touch” with the realities faced by Nigerians, citing worsening insecurity, hunger, and poverty as evidence.

He also accused the President of using anti-corruption bodies and other state agencies to intimidate opposition figures into defecting to the APC.

Concluding, Atiku urged Tinubu to abandon political distractions and focus on addressing Nigeria’s urgent problems.