Tinubu Is A ‘Very Bad President’, Says Ex-VP Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described incumbent President Bola Tinubu as a “very bad preside,
nt”, saying his administration has fallen short of expectations in economic management and governance.

Atiku, a leading chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remark on Wednesday evening during an appearance on ARISE News’ Prime Time Special, where he also spoke about the opposition coalition on the platform of the ADC and the prospects of unseating President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Responding to a question on whether the coalition’s objective was simply to remove Tinubu from office, Atiku said the alliance was driven by both political strategy and dissatisfaction with the current administration.

“Let me say both, because Bola has been a very bad president, to be honest with you,” Atiku said. “I didn’t expect that from him in the way he governs the country, whether economically or otherwise. It’s a disappointment.”

On the goal of the opposition coalition, Atiku explained that while the coalition was focused on broader democratic reforms, including strengthening institutions and improving separation of powers, opposition to the incumbent president remained a key motivation.

“A number of things unite us. For instance, the issue of deepening our democratic institutions and separation of powers under the Constitution,” he said. “We are concerned about how institutions that are supposed to serve as checks and balances are being weakened.”

He argued that the presidency had become overly dominant, warning that such a trend could undermine Nigeria’s democratic structure.

Atiku, who is making 7th attempt at the Nigeria’s presidency in 2027, also defended his role in forming the opposition coalition, saying he was among its principal initiators following the 2023 elections.

“I am one of the initiators of this coalition, or perhaps the leading initiator,” he said. “After the last election, I told the PDP leadership that I did not see a future for the party without a broad-based coalition or alliance.”

According to him, his proposal was rejected at the time, but recent political developments in the PDP have validated his position.

On his departure from the PDP, Atiku said it was informed by a decline in the party’s electoral strength and internal divisions.

He said: “There was a decline in the popularity of the PDP and the states they were winning. There was no way they could have won on their own without a coalition.”