…Tinubu: Opposition Cannot Scare Me Off From Contesting
…Onanuga: Tinubu Will Complete Eight Years
…Wike: Atiku, Serial Contestant and Loser
By Peter Salami
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that he will not be intimidated by political opposition or mounting criticism, even as the Presidency and key allies launched fresh attacks on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his renewed comments on power rotation and the 2027 presidential race.
Speaking to members of his Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Tinubu struck a defiant tone, insisting that he remains committed to his mandate despite political headwinds.
“Me? They want to scare me off? It’s a lie. I have been through this before, and if I have to come back over and over again, I will do the same thing,” the President said.
He added: “We will not submit to noise, rascality, or disobedience to lawful court orders. We must uphold democracy, respect the judiciary whether it favours us or not, and remain faithful to the principles that hold our nation together.”
Reaffirming his administration’s vision, Tinubu said: “There is no path to national greatness except the path of building one country, one common vision, one shared future of progress and prosperity for all Nigerians. That is what Renewed Hope is about.”
Doubling down, the President stressed: “They cannot scare me off. I have been down this road before and, if I must walk it again and again for our country, I will. There is no better place than Nigeria, and no one will build it for us except ourselves.”
“I have listened. I know the journey is not easy. But I give you my word: I will not run away from this task. I will not give up. Coordinate from the ward level, act as one family, stay focused on what we promised Nigerians, and stand firm,” he added.
Tinubu’s remarks come amid renewed political tension triggered by comments from Atiku Abubakar questioning Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement and signalling that the 2027 election would be his final attempt at the presidency.
Reacting, the Presidency, through Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed Atiku’s position as “self-serving” and warned that his ambition would again end in defeat.
“Once again, Abubakar Atiku has put forward a self-serving argument to justify his attempt to disrupt Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement,” Onanuga said.
“In 2023, as a member of the PDP, a party that, like others, practises zoning, Atiku disregarded the established formula and sought to succeed a fellow northerner, who had spent eight years in office.”
He added: “His ambition fractured the PDP, leading to his resounding defeat at the polls. Now, he stands poised to repeat history and face another doom.”
Onanuga was emphatic about the President’s tenure, stating: “Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu too must complete his own.”
He also faulted Atiku’s argument on the North-South power balance, noting: “He conveniently overlooks the fact that the North’s shorter tenure was due to the untimely death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, which led to President Jonathan’s succession. This accidental breach does not invalidate the power rotation arrangement between the North and the South.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, also weighed in, delivering a scathing critique of the former vice president while defending the Tinubu administration’s performance.
“Atiku is a serial failure. He is a serial contestant and loser, and I am sure that in 2031, he will still contest. Nigerians would be laughing at such a person making that kind of statement that nothing positive has been done,” Wike said during an inspection of ongoing projects in Abuja.
Challenging Atiku’s record, Wike said: “Let him compare the FCT now and when he was vice president. Can he honestly say what we have now is the same as then?”
The minister insisted that governance would not be derailed by political distractions.
“The election will come, but people must work. Contractors are not part of the election,” he said.
Wike also dismissed allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the FCT Administration attempted to frustrate its convention.
“I don’t even know where that place is. There was no interference from anybody. These people should just stop looking for sympathy,” he said, challenging the party to provide proof of any wrongdoing.