Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has through The Atiku Media Office, issued a strongly worded response to a recent criticism from the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding his political realignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The controversy began after Seye Oladejo, spokesperson for the Lagos APC, mocked Atiku for his latest political move, alleging inconsistency and questioning his motives. In a press release dated November 27, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant for Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, described the APC’s remarks as “hollow, ill-considered,” and characteristic of “selective amnesia and intellectual laziness.
The statement emphasized the transparency and public nature of Atiku Abubakar’s political journey, including his age, family history, and educational background. “His public life can be traced from childhood to national prominence without the need for forensic experts, private investigators, or sworn affidavits to reconcile conflicting identities,” the release stated, drawing a sharp contrast with the APC leader, whose true age and background, according to the Atiku camp, remain shrouded in mystery.
The press release went further to accuse the APC’s national leadership of hypocrisy for enabling a leader alleged to have “switched names, ages, origins, and educational histories,” while attacking Atiku for his democratic choices. “Party mobility is not a crime; identity fraud is,” the statement declared.
Atiku’s recent decision to collaborate with the ADC was described as a move based on “conviction, nation-building, and a shared democratic vision, not desperation.” The release asserted that only those viewing political parties as personal estates would find such collaboration confusing, and accused the Lagos APC of masking their real fears about Atiku’s enduring political influence.
The Atiku Media Office responded to jibes about the former vice president’s age by drawing attention to the age and health of the APC’s own leader. “If Atiku, a far healthier, mentally sharper, and globally respected statesman, is ‘too old’ to aspire at 79, then what do we call a visibly frail leader whose true age remains one of the country’s best-kept mysteries?” the release asked.
The former vice president, through the release, urged the Lagos APC to focus on substantive national challenges such as the economy, insecurity, and hardship facing Nigerians, rather than issuing what he called “unintelligent statements.” According to the release, these issues, along with “human suffering,” represent the true legacy of the ruling party.
The press release closed by reaffirming Atiku Abubakar’s position as a formidable and prepared leader, asserting that his “political relevance is not in question,” while challenging the APC to address questions about the competence and credibility of their own leadership.
