Tinubu: I Remain Undeterred by Antics of Opposition, I Won’t Retreat
• Accuses Atiku of mismanaging privatisation, saying nothing they privatised is working today
• Alleges they wanted to privatise another man’s political party, but ‘that one said no’
• Stresses Nigeria must not succumb to disobedience of lawful court orders
• Presidency to Atiku: jettison 2027 bid, respect power rotation, zoning is binding
• Wait till 2031, Wike lashes out at Atiku
• You don’t own Nigeria, ex-VP replies
Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Olawale Ajimotokan and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, declared that he was unfazed by the antics of the opposition, which he said were intended to distract him, affirming that his government remains focused on delivering the mandate of its reform agenda.
Tinubu made the assertion in Abuja while hosting leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, led by its Director-General and National Coordinator, Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
He stressed that his government will remain focused on performance, reform, and accountability, and not bow to distractions, as it worked to deliver on its commitments to Nigerians.
Tinubu stated, “The life voyage is not going to be easy. And so many of you that are traveling with me, I can only stand before you and say you will not regret it. That is why we ask you to renew their hope.
“If they don’t want to see the hope and the roads, in the bridge and the children we raise, and the economy we are growing, we lend them Jiggy Bola. We give them eyeglasses.
“I can assure you, whatever you say I do. But one thing that you need from me is a promise that I won’t run away from their fight.
“With you, the deal is done. And all I can promise is that I won’t give up. During the primary that got me here, it was tough; during the election, it was tough.”
Commenting on campaigns against him by the opposition, the president dismissed suggestions that he was being intimidated or pressured into retreat, declaring that such efforts will not divert him from his cause.
He reaffirmed his conviction that nation-building required resilience and steadfast commitment.
Tinubu stressed that no country could be developed by external forces, but through the determination and collective resolve of its own people.
He stated, “They want to scare me off? It’s a lie. I’ve been through this path before, and if I have to come back over and over and over again, I’ll do the same thing. There is no better place than your own country, and no one can build it except you.
“We saw great things because we see skyscrapers, we wonder how the plane takes off and fly also from one destination to the other. These are no magic of yesterday.
“It is thinker of tomorrow and the future that can elevate life, that can reform us all, and being a transformative leader that you are, you are in a good company. Don’t be afraid.”
He emphasised the imperative of national unity, stressing that Nigeria’s pathway to greatness lay in forging a cohesive and shared vision.
The president stated that building one united country anchored on collective prosperity was central to the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He emphasised that the country must not succumb to the disobedience of lawful court orders, underscoring the centrality of the rule of law in sustaining democratic governance.
The president described the Renewed Hope Ambassadors movement as a defining national platform to break the shackles of poverty and ignorance, while entrenching freedom and strengthening democratic values across the country.
He stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not be undermined by “the rascality of street conventions,” insisting that the country cannot condone the disobedience of lawful court orders.
He emphasised the need to uphold the authority of the judiciary at all times, stating that adherence to its decisions, whether favourable or otherwise, remained fundamental to the principles of democracy, the separation of powers, and the proper functioning of the Nigerian state.
Tinubu stated, “We cannot submit to the disobedience of unlawful orders in court. We must embrace the judiciary, whether it favours us or it doesn’t, we submit to this principle of democracy, separation of powers and understanding of the dynamics of it and the nation that Nigeria is.
“We must build one country, there is no other way to the path to national greatness other than build one nation, one common vision for prosperity and greatness of our people, that is what we must do. That is what renewed hope is all about.”
Tinubu stated that his government was a continuation of his predecessor, adding that he inherited assets and liabilities of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari
He explained, “I’ve listened to you. On the economy, I didn’t have to look back, because the truth is, I took over from myself.
“The late Buhari is me. He was a partner. If I took over from him, is that not from myself? Yeah, so if something is wrong, fine, live with it, correct it, move on.”
The president acknowledged that the journey of reform would be demanding, but assured his supporters that their confidence in his administration will not be misplaced.
He urged members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors movement to deepen coordination from the grassroots and continue to strengthen the administration’s engagement with citizens through sustained awareness and mobilisation.
Taking a swipe at some opposition figures, Tinubu questioned the records of those criticising his administration, saying many of them have held strategic positions in the past without delivering lasting results.
He alleged, “If you look at one of them, no one without history among them – no one without history. The head was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria in this country one time.
“He privatised the steel industry in Delta. Is it working today? No. Is anything they privatised working today? They want to privatise another man’s political party. That one says no.”
Earlier, Uzodinma said the purpose of the visit was to brief the president on the current status of the movement, which he stated was already generating measurable civic value across the country.
He explained that the initiative was designed to drive national renewal by translating Tinubu’s policies and achievements into clear, relatable messages at the grassroots level, thereby deepening public understanding and engagement.
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Masari, said at the meeting that reform-driven leadership inevitably faced resistance.
But Masari stated that the Tinubu administration had continued to record significant achievements, despite the prevailing challenges.
He expressed confidence in the president, saying he possesses the courage and political will required to confront Nigeria’s challenges and steer the country towards sustainable progress.
National Chairman of APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the projects being inaugurated across the country stood as clear testimonies to the impact of the administration’s reforms on the economy.
Yilwatda assured the president that the party would work in synergy with the Renewed Hope Ambassadors to deepen public enlightenment, mobilise grassroots support, and strengthen voter education ahead of the 2027 general election.
Presidency to Atiku: Jettison 2027 Bid, Respect Power Rotation, Zoning Is Binding
The presidency, yesterday, advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to abandon the idea of contesting the 2027 presidential poll.
It insisted that it was the turn of the south under Nigeria’s established power rotation arrangement to still produce the president next year.
The presidency predicted that Atiku would fail again in 2027 if he took another shot at the country’s number one seat.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, also knocked Atiku, saying he is a serial contester, and advising him to only consider run-ning again in 2031.
But the former vice president had accused President Bola Tinubu’s presidency of attempting to subvert democratic principles and silence opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections.
But presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on X, criticised Atiku’s renewed presidential ambition as a “self-serving” move that violated the north-south zoning principle.
Onanuga said Atiku’s position, as expressed during a recent television interview, undermined a political convention that had helped stabilise Nigeria’s democracy since 1999.
Atiku, one of the main contenders for the presidential ticket of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), said on ARISE TV on Wednesday that he would be contesting for the office of President for the last time in 2027.
Onanuga wrote, “This Atiku will never learn,” accusing him of attempting to “disrupt Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement.”
He recalled that during the 2023 election cycle, Atiku, then candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ignored the party’s zoning tradition by contesting to succeed a fellow northerner, who had completed two terms in office.
Onanuga said that position led to internal divisions within PDP, culminating in Atiku’s defeat at the polls.
“His ambition fractured the PDP, leading to his resounding defeat at the polls,” Onanuga said, adding that the former vice president appears set to “repeat history” in 2027.
Onanuga faulted Atiku’s argument that he was not bound by zoning because, in his view, the south had held power longer than the north since 1999.
Describing the claim as “dubious political arithmetic,” Onanuga stated that the imbalance cited by Atiku was the result of extraordinary circumstances, particularly the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua in office, which led to the succession of then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
He maintained that such an occurrence did not invalidate the informal but widely observed power-sharing arrangement between the two regions.
Onanuga stressed that following the completion of eight years in office by former President Muhammadu Buhari, it was only equitable for Tinubu, a southerner, to complete his own tenure.
“Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu, too, must complete his own,” Onanuga said, urging Atiku to “bury the thought of running again,” warning that another attempt at the presidency would end in “spectacular failure.”
Wike: Atiku Should Wait Till 2031
Wike dismissed Atiku as a serial contester, who should consider running for the presidency again only in 2031.
Wike spoke yesterday during an inspection tour of the Kuje–Airport Road and Kuje- Gwagwalada road projects. He was responding to remarks ascribed to Atiku.
The FCT minister lashed out at Atiku for criticising the administration of Tinubu for not doing enough to ease the hardship in the land.
Wike said, “Atiku is a serial failure and a serial opposition person and there’s nothing we can do about it. I am sure that in 2031, he will still contest. I would be surprised if he said this government has achieved a lot.
“It is unfortunate for him. But let him leave this 2027 race, it is not available for him. I believe by 2031, he should be 82 years old. We will encourage him to run again because that is the only way he can survive. So, I don’t take anything seriously about what the former vice president says.”
He maintained that the administration will not be distracted by political attacks, stressing that governance must continue regardless of the election seasons.
Wike also challenged Atiku to compare the state of Abuja during his time in office to what was currently obtainable.
He stated, “Let him compare FCT now and when he was Vice President. Can he honestly say what we have now is the same as then?”
The former governor of Rivers State also lambasted his predecessor, Chibuike Amaechi, claiming the former Minister of Transportation cannot deliver the state for the opposition ADC.
Wike stated, “Can they put a bet and say that if an election is conducted in Rivers State today, that Rotimi Amaechi will deliver the state to ADC?
“Remember, he was a governor when I came to run as governor. He was in APC. We defeated him, and he was the director-general of the campaign then.
“In 2019, when I was running for my second tenure, he was Minister of Transportation, and he was the DG of Buhari’s campaign. Of all the federal might that came, I won.
“The late president, Buhari, never got 25 per cent of votes in 2015. In 2019, he didn’t get it. How do you say that he will win? That means ADC will win Rivers State?
“I would be very glad that they are on the ballot. Let them contest the election. Let the stories be over. Watch out what will happen, PDP will be stronger than ADC. It’s not about noise making. Look at what happened in the FCT election.
“They couldn’t get one councillorship and then you are talking about the entire country. ADC should stop calling other people names. So, be assured that there is no way ADC will win. No way.”
You Don’t Own Nigeria, Atiku Fires Back
Atiku accused Tinubu of attempting to subvert democratic principles and silence the opposition ahead of 2027.
The former vice president’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, made the allegation in a statement on X yesterday.
Replying Onanuga, Shaibu, wrote, “Dear @aonanuga1956, let me tell you clearly: no presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme.
‘’Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition.
“This tired attempt to bully @atiku out of the race reeks of fear, not principle. The same people, who shredded zoning within their own party when it suited them now pretend to be its custodians. Hypocrisy has never worn such a cheap costume.”
Shaibu added that if the Tinubu administration had delivered even a fraction of the competence it promised, he would not be hiding behind zoning as a shield.
He insisted that if Tinubu had delivered on his campaign promises, Onanuga would be campaigning on performance, not propaganda.
Shaibu jibed further at Tinubu’s 2027 strategy, saying, “That line about @PeterObi ‘bolting out’ of ADC is nothing but panic speaking. It betrays a camp around @officialABAT that is clearly rattled by the mere idea of a united opposition. You don’t dictate who joins or leaves a coalition, you only expose your fear when you try.
“@PeterObi doesn’t take instructions from jittery aides in Abuja. And if your government had anything solid to campaign on, you wouldn’t be busy hallucinating cracks in the opposition.
“As for the cheap jab about ‘perennial candidate’, it only exposes your anxiety. You don’t attack a man repeatedly unless he remains your biggest threat.
“So, here is the reality your camp must come to terms with: @atiku does not need your permission to run. He does not need validation from aides who confuse loyalty with noise.
“And come 2027, it will not be aides, nor propaganda, nor recycled talking points that decide Nigeria’s future, it will be the Nigerian people. And they are watching. Closely.”
But Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, dismissed claims by Atiku that any coalition-backed candidate would defeat the president in 2027.
Bwala, a former spokesman to Atiku, claimed in a post on X that the former vice president lacked the political strength to defeat Tinubu.
He stated, “My former boss @atiku said, ‘with a coalition candidate, President Tinubu @officialABAT is dead on arrival.’ Lol. But we know you are the coalition candidate. YET (no vex sir), he defeated you in 2023 when you had governors, states, and structures.”
Bwala stated that the current coalition lacked the political base needed to challenge the ruling party.
He said, “These governors, states and structures are with him. With a coalition of aggrieved ‘STATELESS’ leaders, I doubt if President Tinubu would bother to check the scoreboard on the day.”
