The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister, Mr Lere Olayinka, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Olayinka stated this on Thursday in an interview on Channels Television where he described Atiku’s exit from the PDP as “good riddance”.
The FCT aide further labelled the 2023 presidential candidate of the PRO as a serial defector who had “fashioned himself as a weapon against the PDP.”
“My first reaction? Good riddance to bad rubbish. The media headline should read: ‘Atiku Leaves PDP Again’ because he’s done this since 2007. He is the spoiled apple that infected our party’s basket,” he said.
Olayinka also dismissed Atiku’s influence, while questioning media references to publisher Dele Momodu as a ‘PDP heavyweight’.
“How is someone who joined in 2022 a bigwig? Can Momodu win his polling unit? Publishing photo books doesn’t make you a political force,” he said.
He accused Atiku of sabotaging PDP’s 2003 Lagos campaign while serving as vice president, noting that the former vice president later apologised in 2018.
“If we had won Lagos then, Nigeria’s political trajectory would be different. Instead, he holds the shameful record of being the first sitting VP to defect to Action Congress in 2007,” he said.
He claimed that Atiku’s 2014 defection to the APC caused PDP’s downfall. “Now he is gone again after failing to rebuild. I wonder, did a doctor prescribe the presidency as a cure for some ailment? His desperation is pathological.”
When pressed about PDP’s 2027 prospects, Olayinka admitted, “The party is damaged, but now we can rebuild without this recurring decimal. Though 2027 may be too soon for full recovery.”
Olayinka defended his principal’s PDP membership despite serving in an All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government. “Serving doesn’t mean defecting. Bola Ige served under PDP. Atiku is the true party wrecker.”
He predicted failure for Atiku’s next move: “This ‘coalition of confusion’ will collapse, and he’ll try returning to PDP. We must shut the door.”
In response, Atiku’s spokesperson Phillip Shuaibu described his principal’s resignation as a moral stand against a compromised opposition.
“Atiku hasn’t given up – he’s refusing to enable a dying PDP that can’t confront this rudderless government. Staying would mean colluding with those pushing Nigeria toward a one-party state where 200 million destinies are locked,” he said.
Shuaibu also dismissed criticism of Atiku using the vice-presidential coat of arms. “Even U.S. ex-presidents retain official seals. This is ceremonial, not immoral.”
Regarding the timing of the resignation during President Muhammadu Buhari’s mourning period, Shuaibu clarified. “The resignation letter went quietly to his ward. Atiku was in Daura for three days mourning, unlike government aides who insulted Buhari’s memory on social media.”
When asked about Atiku’s 2027 ambitions, Shuaibu remained noncommittal, “2027 is far off. Today, we are focused on stopping this government’s annihilation of opposition.”
