Bayo Onanuga: It’s time for Atiku to end his unprofitable bid to be president

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy, to President Bola Tinubu, says Atiku Abubakar should “end his unprofitable bid” to lead Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Monday, Onanuga, who was reacting to the world press conference addressed by Abubakar, said the former vice-president’s gloomy view of the nation is not a true reflection of the country.

At the briefing, Abubakar lambasted the judgement of the supreme court that affirmed Tinubu as president, claiming that the judiciary and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were politicised.

‘WE WERE WRONG TO EXPECT ATIKU TO ACCEPT DEFEAT’

Onanuga said instead of accepting defeat, Abubakar conveyed a pessimistic submission of the country because of his self-interest.

“We were wrong to expect that Atiku at 77, would play the statesman and sportsman and accept, with equanimity, the verdict of the highest court and the people of Nigeria,” the statement reads.

Onanuga said Abubakar, instead, has “constituted” himself into a “demagogue” to “pull down and delegitimize all the institutions of State, all in a futile bid to achieve what he could not get via the ballot box”.

“Atiku’s brand of politics is such that once an electoral process or election does not go his way or pave the way for his victory, democracy becomes dysfunctional and must therefore be imperilled. For him, democracy should either go his way or the highway,” Onanuga said.

“The PDP candidate was uncharitable and pugnacious in his choice of words and his view about Nigeria.

“We can only imagine the level of frustration that could make a former Vice President of Nigeria hold such a pessimistic view of a country where he once occupied the second highest position. The PDP candidate said Nigeria is doomed just because he failed to achieve his personal ambition.

“We want to tell Alhaji Atiku this: Nigeria is not doomed. It is only Atiku’s inordinate ambition to be President that is doomed. Nigeria is moving forward and set to achieve its manifest destiny as one of the most respected and successful nations of the world under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Contrary to Atiku’s gloomy submission on our democracy, we are excited to tell the world that our democracy is thriving and blossoming.”

Onanuga said Abubakar should retire from politics having failed to actualize his presidential ambition.

“We want to advise Atiku that after over three decades of elusive bid for the Presidency of Nigeria, he must now end his unprofitable bid and go away from any venture that will further pollute the political atmosphere and national harmony.”