Atiku labels Bwala a political opportunist, says his validations useless

Daniel Bwala, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, has come under attack from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who called him a political opportunist and claims he doesn’t require validation from him

Atiku’s 2023 PDP presidential campaign spokesperson, Bwala, had counselled the former vice president to acknowledge that “the presidency may not be part of his destiny.”

Bwala, in a previous interview, had said, “I will just tell him, if I get the chance to see him in person, ‘Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, you have to believe in destiny. God grants authority to whoever He pleases. Furthermore, based on the facts on the ground, it appears that God may not have wanted you to lead Nigeria.”

However, Atiku’s media team hit back, describing Bwala’s remarks as “sanctimonious pontificating laced with bitterness and duplicity”.

After Bwala’s remarks in a televised interview on Monday, Atiku’s media office accused him of hypocrisy and opportunism in a statement released on Tuesday, calling him a “turncoat” and a “political opportunist”.

“That Mr Bwala, a political deserter who previously acted as the spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign, now purports to lecture a world-renowned statesman on issues of legacy, destiny, and retirement is both ironic and pitiful,” the statement said.

“Atiku Abubakar neither seeks nor requires validation from political opportunists who shed principles as easily as they change parties. Mr Bwala’s current relevance, if any, is owed entirely to the platform he once occupied under Atiku’s leadership — a fact that should breed humility, not arrogance.”

The statement also accused the Tinubu camp of being “obsessed” with Atiku, noting that the administration’s persistent attacks suggest it perceives Atiku as a political threat.

According to the statement by the former Vice President’s media team, the Tinubu camp’s obsession with Atiku’s political future is no coincidence. If, as they claim, Atiku is a spent force, why the relentless smear campaign? Why the strategic allocation of presidential platforms to attack him?

“The answer is plain: Atiku Abubakar remains the single most formidable opposition figure in Nigeria, and the coalition he is forging represents a clear and present danger to the decaying edifice of the ruling party,” it stated.

Atiku’s team further highlighted the significance of the opposition coalition he is leading, calling it “a broad-based alliance aimed at reclaiming Nigeria from economic collapse, institutional failure, and democratic erosion.”

“Legacy is not defined by the trappings of office but by courage, consistency, and conviction. Atiku Abubakar’s legacy — as a unifier, builder, and patriot — is deeply etched in the consciousness of millions of Nigerians. It is impervious to the revisionist bile of yesterday’s defectors turned today’s defenders of dysfunction,” the statement added.