2027 Election Will Be a Referendum on Tinubu – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the 2027 general elections will serve as a referendum on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, declaring that Nigerians will ultimately judge the government’s performance at the polls.

Atiku made the statement through his media aide, Paul Ibe, in a response to recent criticisms from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had accused the former vice president of attempting to hijack the opposition for personal political gain.

Dismissing the allegation, Ibe maintained that Atiku’s actions are motivated by a shared national yearning for better governance and economic stability. He accused the Tinubu-led administration of focusing on politics rather than delivering meaningful reforms to improve Nigerians’ lives.

“It’s clear these people were never prepared for governance,” Ibe said. “Every action they’ve taken contradicts the very essence of democracy. They have consistently undermined progress and prioritized political power over national interest.”

As evidence of alleged inefficiency, Ibe pointed to the administration’s celebration of the completion of just 30 kilometers of a 700-kilometer road project over two years. “They rolled out the drums to celebrate 4% of a project — it’s absurd. That money could’ve gone into building more roads, not parties,” he stated.

Ibe also expressed concern over the worsening socio-economic situation in the country, saying Nigeria had become the “poverty capital of the world” and now leads the continent in child malnutrition under Tinubu’s watch.

He further defended Atiku’s integrity and financial independence, contrasting his business background with what he described as the opportunism of his critics. “Atiku was already a successful businessman before 1999. He has created jobs, built companies, and financed his political campaigns with his own resources. He’s not seeking access to state funds like others,” Ibe said.

He urged the APC to focus on addressing the nation’s challenges rather than obsessing over Atiku’s political moves. “They are clearly rattled. But the truth remains: come 2027, the election will not just be about politics — it will be Tinubu versus the Nigerian people.”

This statement comes amid heightened political rhetoric as opposition figures and critics of the administration ramp up their public engagement ahead of the next general election.