Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has issued a blistering response to comments made by Daniel Bwala, a former ally turned presidential aide, dismissing him as a political opportunist lacking in principle and credibility.
In a statement released on Tuesday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku rebuked Bwala—now Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu—for what he called a sanctimonious and duplicitous attempt to lecture a statesman on destiny, legacy, and leadership.
Bwala, speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, had mocked Atiku’s continued political ambition, claiming that “coalition is dead on arrival” and advising him to “accept the will of God” and abandon his presidential hopes.
Atiku, in a pointed rejoinder, noted the irony of receiving unsolicited counsel from someone who once served as his spokesperson and whose current visibility, he said, is owed entirely to the platform he previously occupied under Atiku’s leadership.
“It is both unfortunate and ironic that Mr. Bwala, who only recently wore the PDP cloak, now chooses to preach about political principles while parroting the agenda of a flailing administration,” the statement read. “Atiku Abubakar neither seeks nor requires validation from political opportunists who change their allegiance as easily as they shift rhetoric.”
The statement accused the Tinubu administration of orchestrating a coordinated campaign to discredit Atiku, driven by fear over the growing traction of a national opposition coalition that he is helping to build.
“If, as they claim, Atiku is politically irrelevant, why the constant attacks? Why the allocation of entire presidential platforms to smear him?” the statement asked. “It’s because Atiku Abubakar remains the most formidable opposition voice in Nigeria today, and the coalition he is fostering poses a clear threat to the crumbling foundations of the ruling party.”
Positioning Atiku as a long-standing pillar of Nigeria’s democracy, the statement stressed his track record in reform, restructuring, and the defense of electoral integrity, contrasting it with what it described as the dysfunction and decay under the current leadership.
“Legacy isn’t defined by titles or office,” it continued, “but by courage, consistency, and conviction. Atiku Abubakar’s legacy as a unifier and reformer is etched in the minds of millions, impervious to the revisionist bile of defectors turned defenders of failure.”
Reaffirming Atiku’s commitment to Nigeria’s future, the statement concluded with a defiant message: “He remains focused and unshaken. The mission to rescue and rebuild Nigeria is too critical to be derailed by political jesters masquerading as patriots.”
