The All Progressives Congress has rubbished claims by former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling party are plotting to destabilise the opposition. He recently insisted that BAT and the APC are fully focused on delivering good governance ahead of 2027.
Speaking in a press statement, APC spokesperson Felix Morka said that the party has no time to interfere in “broken opposition parties” when it is currently too occupied with fulfilling its mandate to the people.
According to him, it is obvious that opposition leaders have lost focus and are now mainly driven by greed and an obsession with power.
He blasted Tambuwal and other loud opposition figures for constantly pointing fingers without providing evidence to back it up.
“With nothing of value to offer Nigerians, these opposition elements have now turned political prophets trumpeting their base wishes and 2027 predictions that only truly portend the devastating defeat that awaits them at the voting thumbs of the good Nigerian electorate that have rejected them before, that rejected them in the recent bye-elections, and will reject them decisively, again, come 2027.
As a Party, we will continue to strengthen our internal democratic systems to stand stronger, and serve Nigerians better, while as a government, President Tinubu remains resolute and focused on rebuilding generationally neglected foundations of our economic life and repositioning the country for sustainable progress,” he wrote.
Felix further noted that PDP, ADC, SDP and co should know that being an opposition party is not all about cooking up false allegations and peddling lies to sway members of the public.
He concluded by saying that Tambuwal’s remark against his EFCC investigation is further proof of the perverse entitlement mentality that opposition leaders have become comfortable with.
“It is not just about the freedom to zap in and out of political parties based on purely selfish political calculations. It is also not about the freedom to bandy false narratives, peddle lies and engage in smear campaigns designed to sow discord and mislead the public.
Opposition politics is certainly not about weaponising grudges disguised as opposition critiques.
It is perplexing that these opposition leaders – the likes of Tambuwal, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Rotimi Ameachi – who have occupied some of the highest political offices in our country have failed, horridly and disgracefully, to provide leadership, purpose, direction and vitality to their parties. Rather than focus their attention and touted leadership abilities on building viable opposition parties, they prefer to play the blame game, pointing fingers at the APC for failure that is entirely their own.
A justification for democratic political opposition exists essentially in its role to hold the government accountable to govern in accordance with the rule of law and democratic norms. It is also about the duty of opposition leaders to take responsibility and accountability for their failure as leaders of their parties.
Without effective leadership, opposition parties cannot perform their ascribed role of promoting accountability of governance or their role to provide credible policy alternatives or extending cooperation to the ruling party in pursuit of progress, and achieving the common good.
Tambuwal must believe that his status as an opposition politician confers some kind of immunity from investigation or prosecution by anti-corruption agencies. No member of the political opposition is above the law, just like no citizen is above the law.
Tambuwal’s suggestion that his recent arrest and ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged cash withdrawals totalling N189 billion in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2022, indicates a politically-motivated clampdown on the opposition bellies the obscene and perverse entitlement mentality that these opposition leaders carry.
Resorting to emotional blackmail against the government as a device to shield himself or anyone from lawful scrutiny, investigation or prosecution for suspected heinous economic crimes will not and should not cut it as opposition sacred cows.
To be clear, for the umpteenth time, President Tinubu and our great Party are preoccupied with the important business of governance and do not have idle time to meddle in the internal affairs of parties that are already badly broken by their own failures and internal contradictions.”
The opposition’s attempt at building a coalition remains a figment that is not coalescing due to the hostile takeover of the African Democratic Congress that is now unravelling in crippling dimensions, and the competing selfishness, desperation and arrogance of its leaders,” he added.
