- Safiu Kehinde
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, of instigating anarchy in the country with his comparison of Nigeria’s situation with the historic violent revolutions and uprising in France, Russia and the Arab Spring.
NPO Reported that Atiku had on Monday decried the spate of insecurity and hunger crisis in Nigeria as he warned of the government of inciting revolution through the economic hardship.
Reacting in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Felix Morka, on Wednesday, the APC slammed the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Presidential candidate over what it described as incendiary commentaries.
The APC labelled Atiku’s comment as reckless, irresponsible, and degrading to his status as former Vice President.
It thereafter recalled the the PDP’s 16 years leadership in the country, alleging that the party cemented a sordid foundation of hunger, poverty, and insecurity.
The APC maintained that Atiku is clueless on how to solve Nigeria’s economic challenges while recalling his confession to the looting of $16 billion during his time as Vice President.
This, according to the ruling party, served as reason behind Atiku’s presidential bid rejection by Nigerians.
“While garbed as a critique of the economic policies of President Tinubu’s administration, Atiku’s statement is nothing short of a tacit instigation of a revolution in Nigeria.
“His statement is reckless, irresponsible, unbefitting and degrading to his status as former Vice President.
“As a two-term Vice President, Atiku and his PDP, at the time, had the opportunity, backed by humongous oil revenues, to eradicate hunger, poverty and insecurity.
“Atiku and his PDP failed to do so. In fact, they made absolutely no impression against hunger, poverty and insecurity in Nigeria.
“They governed for 16 years, did not and could not eradicate hunger, poverty and insecurity in Nigeria. Instead, Atiku and his PDP democratized hunger and poverty in our country.
“They plundered and looted our treasury and enthroned corruption and profligacy as state policy.
“Atiku and his PDP cemented the sordid foundations of hunger, poverty and insecurity that President Tinubu is battling courageously and relentlessly to defeat, with growing success.
“As Vice President, Atiku was clueless about solving Nigeria’s economic challenges. As a forever-presidential aspirant, he remains eminently clueless about what it takes to tackle our country’s economic challenges.
“Atiku’s confession to the looting of $16 billion meant to provide electricity to Nigerians, under his watch as Vice President, is a stark reminder of his record of incompetent and failed leadership.
“Now out of power, Atiku thinks himself as possessing knowledge and capacity he so miserably lacked when he had the opportunity to govern as Vice President.
“That is utterly delusional. Nigerians know this and it is the reason they have serially rebuffed his attempts to be president. Nigerians are on standby to deal Atiku, hopefully, a full and final rejection in 2027.” The statement partly read.
The APC further condemned the alleged instigation of anarchy by Atiku, stressing that violence is never a desirable or acceptable mode of democratic engagement.
It said Atiku’s comments which came at a day when Nigeria recorded several economic growth which were reported, showed that the ex-Vice President is out of touch with reality.
The ruling party expressed confidence that Nigerians will ignore the “self-serving” and “anti-democratic” comments from Atiku who was alleged to hardly reside in the country.
“Blinded by desperation, tormented by President Tinubu’s impressive and inimitable strides, distraught by an unrealized presidential ambition, disoriented by anxieties of a far faded political future, Atiku has become incapable of objective, reasoned and rational assessment of the state of our rebounded and stable economy, now set to secure growth and deliver prosperity for our nation.
“That Atiku’s disturbing statement was made on a day when all news platforms had headline reports of consistent lowering of inflation numbers, at a period when all vital economic indicators are looking up and pointing in a positive direction, shows clearly that he is out of touch with the reality of the benefits now flowing from the administration’s transformative Renewed Hope economic reforms.
“Atiku must know that instigating anarchy is not legitimate or justifiable opposition politics. It is wrong, irresponsible, unpatriotic and unacceptable.
“While critique of the administration’s economic policies is within the opposition’s democratic freedom, instigating violent uprising is not a protected freedom.
“Violence is never a desirable or acceptable mode of democratic engagement. Atiku should know better and refrain from the use of inflammatory language capable of stoking violence and undermining the peace and safety of Nigerians.
“His duty to country must trump his desperate and inordinate presidential ambition.
“We trust Nigerians to ignore Atiku’s inciting statement as self-serving, anti-democratic and a threat to the peace, unity, interest and progress of our dear country.
“Atiku hardly resides in Nigeria and will not be available to partake in the attendant pain, destruction, mayhem and desolation that the revolution he is instigating will bring.
“We must guard our God-given liberties and not lend them to be sacrificed at the pleasure of Atiku’s political ambition.
“We urge Nigerians to remain steadfast in support of President Tinubu’s administration as it continues in its unyielding efforts to build a nation of our collective dream.” The statement read further.