Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have dismissed recent endorsements of President Bola Tinubu by governors and stakeholders within the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing them as clear indicators of fear and desperation within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku, speaking through his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, stated that the opposition coalition remains confident and unshaken by the wave of endorsements. He likened the coalition’s preparedness to that of a student who has studied extensively and is thus able to sleep peacefully the night before an examination, certain of success.
“When you’ve prepared diligently for an exam, you can sleep soundly the night before, waking up assured of success. That’s the position of our coalition,” Ibe said.
He emphasized that the ultimate decision lies in the hands of Nigerians, not in orchestrated political endorsements. According to him, the support being paraded by the APC only highlights the administration’s growing insecurity about its standing with the electorate.
“The recent endorsements reveal the panicked state of this administration. Insecurity is at an unprecedented level, with insurgents reclaiming territories in Borno State and other areas. The cost of living has skyrocketed. Families are grappling with hunger, lack of access to healthcare, and the inability to pay school fees. Rather than confront these pressing issues, the government is preoccupied with political theatrics,” he added.
Ibe further accused the Tinubu-led administration of leveraging anti-corruption agencies as tools of political intimidation, coercing opposition figures into defecting to the APC. He claimed that these defections are not rooted in political conviction but are driven by pressure, blackmail, and threats of corruption probes.
“These defections are not ideological. Politicians are being blackmailed into crossing over. In Delta State and other places, individuals have been forced to join the APC under duress, using past crimes as bargaining chips. What’s being labeled a ‘quiet bomb’ is simply the result of extortion and coercion, targeting both former and current political actors,” Ibe alleged.
Also commenting, PDP National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Umar Bature, downplayed the significance of political endorsements. He reminded the public that former President Goodluck Jonathan once enjoyed the support of 21 governors in 2014 but still lost the presidential election.
“Tinubu may have 22 endorsements, but that doesn’t guarantee victory. What matters is whether you’ve delivered on your mandate to the people. Endorsements are superficial; they are a tactic employed when leaders lose touch with the people they are meant to serve,” Bature stated.
In conclusion, the PDP maintained that only genuine service to the people—not endorsements—will determine the outcome of the 2027 elections.
