Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of being desperate ahead of the 2027 election and is afraid of the ADC coalition.

Mr Abubakar, a former ally of the president, made this statement on Tuesday amid concerns that he reportedly declined to step down for a southern presidential aspirant in the coalition.

“The entire story is a malicious fabrication — pure fiction cooked up in the propaganda kitchens of the Tinubu-led APC regime. It is not only false; it is laughably desperate.

“This is nothing but a diversionary tactic — an attempt by a faltering administration to sow discord within the opposition ranks and derail the momentum gained by the successful unveiling of the ADC as the coalition’s political vehicle,” said Mr Abubakar in a statement by the Atiku Media Office.

Mr Abubakar explained that “no amount of propaganda, planted stories, or faceless briefings will fracture the resolve of the opposition coalition”.

“We are united, focused, and determined to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of this rudderless government. We want to remind the ruling party that Nigerians have already embraced the ADC as the most credible and viable opposition platform ahead of 2027,” Mr Abubakar stated.

The former PDP presidential candidate added, “The massive and growing support that the ADC continues to enjoy across the country is not just encouraging – it is a clear signal that the Tinubu administration is living on borrowed time.”