FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he bore no grudges against members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
He described political realignments as a normal feature of democracy.
Atiku made the remarks on Friday, April 25, in a statement addressing concerns raised over the recent wave of defections from the PDP and criticisms trailing his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna State.
The ICIR reported that the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and all PDP members in the state defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday, April 23.
Oborevwori announced the defection through his Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu.
Reacting to this, Abubakar said freedom of association is a fundamental democratic right and should not be weaponised for political attacks.
The former vice president, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said he had received numerous inquiries from concerned Nigerians regarding the defections of PDP leaders in Delta State and the intent behind his visit to Buhari.
He said the concerns raised also included his recent alliance with former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufa’i and the visit of the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, to his hometown of Yola, Adamawa State.
“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,” he said.
While also reacting to insinuations that the visits signalled a possible alliance or betrayal of his party, Abubakar described such reactions as hypocritical and politically motivated.
He accused some critics of double standards, saying they had no issues when PDP leaders held meetings with President Bola Tinubu, but attacked him for engaging with opposition figures.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called a 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,” he added.
While criticising Tinubu’s administration, Abubakar accused it of failing to address the economic crisis and rising public discontent.
He said the country was experiencing a worsening cost-of-living crisis, high inflation, and growing youth unemployment, which created widespread frustration across the country.
“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, 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,” he added.
His statement came barely a day after former Senate President Bukola Saraki, another PDP party leader, slammed the defectors, saying they are fake party members.
He said the defections merely exposed long-standing insincerity among people who had already checked out of the party in spirit.
Saraki had urged those leaving the PDP to ‘go now,’ insisting that the defections simply cleared the air and offered the party an opportunity to rebuild with loyal members.
He added that those leaving were making space for genuine party members to step forward and refocus the PDP into a viable, people-centred opposition.
He urged members to remain calm, focused, and committed to the rebuilding of the party, describing the recent developments as an opportunity for the PDP to redefine itself.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
This man should rest and let other candidates to contest.