President Bola Tinubu has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his repeated defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing him of abandoning the party at the first sign of opposition to his leadership.
Tinubu spoke on Friday at a state dinner organised by the Akwa Ibom State Government, where he questioned Atiku’s leadership credentials ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The President said Atiku left the PDP when indications emerged that some party members were preparing to challenge his leadership.
Describing the PDP as a once formidable political platform, Tinubu said Atiku’s decision to leave demonstrated a lack of the leadership qualities required to govern the country.
“Immediately, a little inkling came that they were going to challenge his leadership. He ran away,” the President said.
He also mocked Atiku’s move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the party as somewhere in the political wilderness.
“He abandoned the party; now he’s in ADC, or somewhere in the jungle, and he’s looking for presidency,” Tinubu said.
The President further questioned whether Nigerians could entrust the country’s leadership to someone he accused of lacking responsibility, cohesion and the ability to manage internal political disagreements.
“Will you give such a person who has no leadership, no leadership quality, no sense of responsibility, no sense of cohesion that can do good to this country, the presidency?” he asked.
Tinubu also used the occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to the proposed Akwa Ibom Deep Seaport, urging the state government to fulfil its own obligations towards the project.
“Keep your promise. I will keep mine. There will be Akwa Ibom Deep Seaport,” he assured.
Describing the January 16, 2027 presidential election as consequential, Tinubu said its outcome would determine the country’s future direction.
He also defended his administration’s economic reforms, claiming that Nigeria had emerged from a period of severe financial distress.
The President recalled that 27 of the country’s 36 states were unable to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities when he assumed office.
“When I took over, 27 governors out of 36 of this country were unable to pay salaries, not to talk of pensions and gratuities. Today, I stand before you, able to say, we are out of that dark tunnel,” he said.
Tinubu also took a swipe at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his comments and political record.
Atiku has defected from the PDP several times. He left the party in 2006 for the Action Congress after failing to secure its presidential ticket, returned before the 2011 election, and subsequently left again in 2014 to join the coalition that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He returned to the PDP in 2017 and contested the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections on its platform before leaving again on July 14, 2025, to join the ADC.