APC slams Atiku, El-Rufai, Obi over allegations, labels accusations as ‘pitiful alibis’

By Kunle Sanni
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed recent allegations by opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai, accusing the ruling party of meddling in the internal struggles of opposition parties.
In a statement signed by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka on Tuesday, the party described the accusations as “pitiful” and “an incompetent alibi” for the opposition’s inability to manage their own affairs.
“The bizarre suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi, and recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that our great party is complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is laughable. They cannot govern their parties but tout their ability to govern Africa’s most populous country,” the statement read.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, alleged at a national conference in Abuja that President Bola Tinubu was funding certain opposition leaders with ₦50 million each to destabilize their parties.
Similarly, Nasir El-Rufai, while speaking at the same conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
Reacting to these claims, the APC dismissed them as baseless, describing Atiku’s comments as a reflection of desperation and his failure to accept responsibility for the PDP’s internal crisis.
“Atiku’s allegation that the APC-led administration was paying out ₦50 million to some opposition figures is simply bogus and laughable. His political desperation is responsible for the PDP’s catastrophic disintegration,” Morka stated.
Atiku also criticized the judiciary, claiming its involvement in electoral matters threatened democracy. In response, the APC highlighted Atiku’s history of electoral litigation and rejected his assertions.
“It is ironic that Atiku, Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator, would claim that judicial involvement in elections is a threat to democracy. The judiciary is a constitutional creation with defined powers to adjudicate disputes. Atiku cannot wish away the courts simply because rulings do not favor his agenda,” the statement said.
The APC emphasized the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy, urging Atiku and other opposition leaders to rebuild their parties instead of spreading baseless accusations.
“Nigeria’s democracy is far stronger than Atiku’s political ambitions. Instead of alarmist rhetoric, Atiku should respect the will of the electorate and offer constructive solutions to Nigeria’s challenges,” Morka added.
The ruling party also criticized opposition leaders for deflecting blame for their internal party challenges and attempting to distract Nigerians.
“Nigerians know better than to be distracted by the false alarms and hollow allegations of desperate politicians seeking relevance ahead of the 2027 elections,” the statement concluded.