‘I don’t need validation from political opportunists,’ Atiku fires back at Bwala
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communications, claiming that he does not require “validation from political opportunists”.
Bwala, who formerly worked as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) spokeswoman for Atiku’s 2023 presidential campaign, told the former vice president to realise that “the presidency may not be part of his destiny”.
“If I had the opportunity to meet him face to face, all I will say is this: ‘Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, you must believe in destiny. God provides authority to those He chooses. And it appears, based on the circumstances, that it may not have been God’s plan for you to lead Nigeria,” Bwala added in the interview.
However, Atiku’s PR team responded by labelling Bwala’s words as “sanctimonious pontificating laced with bitterness and duplicity.”.
Atiku’s media office labelled Bwala as a “political opportunist” and a “turncoat” in a statement issued on Tuesday, accusing him of hypocrisy and opportunism in response to his comments during a televised interview on Monday.
“It is both ironic and pathetic that Mr Bwala — a political turncoat who once served as spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign — now presumes to lecture a statesman of global standing on matters of legacy, destiny, and retirement,” according to the statement.
“Atiku Abubakar does not seek or want validation from political opportunists who abandon convictions as soon as they switch parties. Mr Bwala’s current importance, if any, is solely due to the platform he formerly occupied under Atiku’s leadership – a fact that should inspire humility rather than arrogance.”
The statement also accused the Tinubu camp of being “obsessed” with Atiku, pointing out that the administration’s continuous attacks indicate it sees Atiku as a political threat.
“The Tinubu camp’s fixation with Atiku’s political destiny is not coincidental. If the Tinubu camp believes Atiku has reached his full potential, why is he launching such a relentless smear campaign? Why is there a systematic allocation of presidential platforms to criticise him?
“The answer is plain: Atiku Abubakar remains the single most formidable opposition figure in Nigeria, and the coalition he is forging represents a clear and present danger to the decaying edifice of the ruling party,” it stated
Atiku’s campaign team emphasised the importance of the opposition coalition he is leading, describing it as “a broad-based alliance aimed at reclaiming Nigeria from economic collapse, institutional failure, and democratic erosion.”
“Courage, consistency, and conviction are what determine legacy, not the trappings of power. Atiku Abubakar’s legacy as a unifier, builder, and patriot is profoundly embedded in the minds of millions of Nigerians. It is resistant to the revisionist bile of yesterday’s defectors who are now apologists of dysfunction,” the statement continued.Bwala also said that Atiku had lost “substantial people, probably 60 to 70 percent” of his political supporters and cautioned that if Atiku pursues his presidential ambitions, “his political ending might not be as palatable as he’s thinking.”
However, Atiku’s media office underlined the former vice president’s dedication to his political aims, stating that he remained “focused and unshaken” in his pursuit of Nigeria’s advancement.
“The rescue and rebuilding of Nigeria is a task of urgent national importance — far too important to be derailed by the petty ego trips of desperate presidential aides,” according to the statement.
The remarks come amid continuous defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with reports circulating that some opposition governors may soon join the party.