Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has fired back at President Bola Tinubu over his recent declaration that he was prepared to “wrestle” political opponents ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to Atiku, the President should focus on solving Nigeria’s mounting challenges rather than engaging in political battles.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said Tinubu’s biggest fight should be against hunger, insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship affecting millions of Nigerians.
The former Vice President made his position known on Wednesday in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
His reaction followed remarks made by Tinubu during a meeting with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in Abuja.
The bishops had called for credible, transparent and peaceful elections, but the President responded by declaring that he was ready to “wrestle” his opponents “to the finishing point” in the next election cycle.
Responding to the President’s comments, Atiku accused the administration of focusing on political rhetoric at a time many Nigerians are struggling with worsening living conditions.
“Mr President, you are a drowning man. Wrestle with your failures, not your opponents,” Atiku said.
He argued that the occasion required reassurance and statesmanship, especially as the Catholic Bishops were raising concerns about the conduct of future elections and the state of the nation.
According to him, Nigerians expected leadership and solutions rather than political bravado.
Atiku said the President should concentrate his efforts on addressing the economic realities confronting citizens across the country.
“The President should wrestle with the millions of Nigerians who now skip meals because food has become a luxury.
“He should wrestle with the insecurity that has turned farming communities into graveyards and highways into hunting grounds for criminals.
“He should wrestle with the unemployment that has robbed an entire generation of hope. He should wrestle with an economy suffocating under policy inconsistency, reckless borrowing and dwindling investor confidence,” he stated.
The ADC chieftain maintained that governments facing public dissatisfaction often resort to political grandstanding instead of addressing pressing issues.
“These are the words of a drowning man. A government that has little to celebrate inevitably seeks refuge in chest-thumping.
“But Nigerians are no longer interested in political performances. They are interested in performance in government.
“Empty slogans cannot fill empty stomachs. Boastful declarations cannot lower food prices. Threats against political opponents cannot restore the value of the naira,” he added.
Atiku further argued that the President’s greatest challenge was not the opposition but the performance record of his administration.
According to him, every unemployed graduate, struggling business owner, victim of insecurity and hungry household represents a reminder of the difficulties many Nigerians continue to face.
“His greatest opponent is his own record. Every unpaid worker, every struggling business, every unemployed graduate, every victim of insecurity and every hungry family is a living testimony to the consequences of his administration’s choices. That is the contest he has consistently failed to win,” he said.
The former Vice President also stressed that democratic elections are determined by voters and not political threats or combative language.
“Democracy is a marketplace of ideas and accountability. Governments earn another term through competence, compassion and measurable results, not through combative rhetoric.
“In 2027, Nigerians will not be stepping into a wrestling arena. They will be stepping into polling units to deliver a constitutional verdict,” Atiku stated.
He urged the President to devote the remainder of his tenure to tackling the country’s challenges rather than engaging in political confrontations.
“The Nigerian people are not looking for a wrestler. They are looking for a leader. History will not remember who shouted the loudest. It will remember who governed the best,” he added.
Meanwhile, Atiku also renewed his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s economic management, accusing the Federal Government of fiscal recklessness following reports that borrowing in the 2024 fiscal year exceeded the amount approved by the National Assembly.
According to him, figures showing fresh borrowing above approved limits raise concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.
He argued that Nigerians were promised that the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic reforms would reduce borrowing and stabilize government finances, but claimed that the reverse had occurred.
“Nigerians were promised that the painful removal of fuel subsidy, repeated tax hikes and other harsh economic measures would reduce borrowing and restore fiscal stability.
“Instead, the country is witnessing the exact opposite: endless borrowing, ballooning debt and unprecedented waste,” the statement said.
Atiku questioned why additional borrowing was undertaken despite reports of increased government revenue from higher international crude oil prices.
“A government earning windfalls while borrowing recklessly is not suffering from lack of revenue; it is suffering from lack of discipline,” he declared.
He also expressed concern over the rising cost of servicing Nigeria’s debt, warning that the country could be heading toward a situation where new loans are primarily used to settle existing obligations.
“This is not economic reform. It is fiscal vandalism,” Atiku said.
