“Political Jesters Masquerading As Patriots Won’t Distract Me” – Atiku Fires Back At Bwala

The former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has responded to recent remarks by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, asserting that political opportunists and “political jesters masquerading as patriots” will not divert his focus.

In a statement released through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku emphasized that he neither seeks nor requires validation from those who change political affiliations for personal gain.

Naija News reports that the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate’s comments come in the wake of Bwala’s criticisms during an interview on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Monday.

In the interview, Bwala stated: “APC didn’t miss anything about Elrufai’s exit. He’s free to pursue his personal ambitions. Atiku should accept the will of God and stop running against destiny. Coalition is dead on arrival….”

Reacting, the former Vice President described it as both ironic and regrettable that Bwala, once his campaign spokesperson, now assumes the role of advising a statesman of his calibre on issues such as legacy and destiny.

The statement read: “His sanctimonious pontificating, laced with bitterness and duplicity, betrays a desperate effort to curry favour with a floundering administration clearly shaken by the unstoppable momentum of the national coalition being galvanised by Atiku and other progressive leaders.

“Let it be clearly stated: 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 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.

“This broad-based alliance, aimed at reclaiming Nigeria from economic collapse, institutional failure, and democratic erosion, has clearly rattled the ruling elite. No amount of historical revisionism or sanctimony can obscure the fact that Atiku has been a central pillar in Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, championing reform, restructuring, and electoral integrity when others chose complicity.”

Atiku reiterated his commitment to national development, stating he remains unfazed by individuals he described as political clowns pretending to be patriots.

He added, “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.

“We reaffirm, unequivocally, that the Waziri Adamawa remains focused and unshaken in his commitment to Nigeria’s future. He will not be distracted by political jesters masquerading as patriots.

“The rescue and rebuilding of Nigeria is a task of urgent national importance — far too important to be derailed by the petty ego trips of desperate presidential aides.”