By Danladi Ahmed
The Tinubu Media support Group (TMSG) has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is particularly pained that the recent defection of Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is another major triumph of President Bola Tinubu’s brinkmanship.
Governor Fintiri, had alongside his entire cabinet members and 16 state legislators, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC to the dismay of the former Vice President who has described the move as evidence of pressure by the administration.
But in a statement by TMSG’s Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary Dapo Okubanjo, the group argued that the former Vice President is the one under pressure for losing his local political allies to President Tinubu.
The statement read in full, “Our attention has been drawn to the lame and tepid reaction of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the defection of his long-term political ally and governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We understand how painful it is for a man of the former Vice President’s political stature to lose a major local political ally and his cabinet as well as the entire PDP machinery to President Bola Tinubu’s party rather than join him in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“So it is safe to say that Atiku was deeply pained enough to claim that Fintiri whom he had had cause to praise regularly, especially after he won re-election, as a man of solid political credentials was intimidated to join the ruling party.
“We acknowledge that the former PDP Presidential Candidate has every right to be bitter especially after losing his political base to APC but it is improper and insulting to claim that governors, many of whom are political strongmen in their own rights, are being pressured to join the ruling party.
“We dare say that Fintiri and other governors who have opted to defect to APC did so because of what the Nasarawa state Governor Abdullahi Sule recently said, precisely and succinctly, about President Tinubu’s excellent governance style and uncanny ability to relate with governors across party lines.
“Here is a President who has, in nearly three years, ensured that state governors are feeling the positive impact of true federalism, more than at any time in the nation’s democratic journey since 1999.
“On Tinibu”s watch, Federation allocations to the sub-nationals more than doubled and there has been no time federal might is brought to bear on any state including in the enforcement of local government autonomy as sanctioned by the Supreme Court. This is much unlike the administration which Atiku served as Vice President which was so overbearing that it whimsically used the instrumentality of federal powers to force no fewer than five governors out of office.
“And contrary to what former Vice President Atiku suggested, Fintiri’s decision to join APC reflects badly on him as much as that of his son, Abba, who also opted for the ruling party rather than align with him in ADC.
“It is indeed bad that Atiku, who could not convince his son or key members of his erstwhile political machinery in Adamawa to join him in his 2027 quest, wants to convince Nigerians to see him as a better alternative to President Tinubu.
“Or is he saying that his son was also intimidated and pressurized into joining the APC?
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu has a history of building people and parties through diligent bridge- building models unlike Atiku’s legendary transactional mindset. From the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress evolved and later became the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before dissolving into the All Progressives Congress (APC), all on his watch.
“We invite Nigerians to contrast this with Atiku’s multiple movements across political parties within the same period in search of what has continued to elude him- the presidency.”
TMSG added that it should not surprise anyone if the former Vice President, in his convoluted politicking, decides to leave ADC for another political platform when he loses the 2027 elections.
The group maintained that President Tinubu’s pragmatic approach to politics deeply rooted in conviction, consistency and courage remains the best in building the nation’s political growth and development.