The Presidency has criticized former Vice President and ADC presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, following his recent remark that the current administration is worse than military rule.
At an event on Tuesday presenting a book by ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, Atiku described the APC-led government under President Bola Tinubu as the worst he has witnessed in nearly 40 years.
In response, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to President Tinubu, called the statement “reckless” and accused the former vice president of misrepresenting history. Writing on X, Dare said Atiku’s comparison undermines the sacrifices of Nigerians who were jailed, exiled or killed under military regimes.
Dare’s post, titled “Atiku Abubakar’s Cognitive Dissonance,” stated that “to argue that a ballot-elected government is worse than one imposed by bullets is corrosive and disrespectful to the legacy of June 12. It flirts dangerously with democratic sabotage”.
The Presidency further argued that Atiku’s claim ignores the freedoms Nigerians enjoy under democracy, pointing out that he continues to participate freely in political activities, hold meetings, give interviews and criticize the government, liberties that were impossible under military rule.
Dare also accused the former vice president of post-election grievance politics, saying that his repeated attacks on the administration reflect personal frustration rather than genuine policy critique. “If he longs for the order of military rule, he should explain why he spent decades presenting himself as a democrat”, the statement added.
The Presidency concluded that Atiku’s comments represent a personal lapse and inflammatory exaggeration rather than a substantive critique of the current government.
