Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, May 25, 2025, rejected recent endorsements of President Bola Tinubu by All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and stakeholders, labeling them as evidence of panic and desperation. Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, expressed confidence in the opposition coalition’s ability to defeat the APC in the 2027 general elections, comparing their readiness to a well-prepared student before an exam. Ibe criticized Tinubu’s administration for unprecedented insecurity, with insurgents reclaiming territories in Borno and other regions, and a soaring cost of living that has left families struggling with food, healthcare, and education. He accused the government of neglecting these issues in favor of political maneuvering and using anti-corruption agencies to coerce opposition figures into defecting to the APC, citing pressured defections in Delta State and elsewhere as examples of “ransom” through corruption allegations.
PDP National Organising Secretary Alhaji Umar Bature echoed Atiku’s sentiments, arguing that endorsements do not guarantee electoral success. He referenced former President Goodluck Jonathan’s loss in 2015 despite having 21 governors’ endorsements, stating that Tinubu’s 22 endorsements are “cosmetic” and reflect a failure to serve Nigerians. Bature downplayed internal PDP tensions, asserting that members’ expressions of dissent would resolve over time and that the focus should be on the government’s performance rather than endorsements. The PDP highlighted widespread dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s economic policies, predicting that Nigerian voters, not political endorsements, will determine the 2027 outcome.
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