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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency has lambasted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for what it called inflammatory distortions aimed at fuelling unrest after electoral losses.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, was reacting to Atiku’s comments on Tuesday during the launch of a book by African Democratic Congress (ADC) spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi, where he slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) government as worse than military rule — the darkest governance he has seen in nearly 40 years of politics.
In a sharp rebuke through his verified X account, @SundayDareSD, Dare branded Atiku’s words as reckless, misleading and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“For a man who once occupied the office of Vice President under a constitutional democracy, Atiku Abubakar’s persistent inability, or refusal, to distinguish between democratic governance and military dictatorship is no longer ironic; it is alarming,” Dare wrote.
He called the remarks “a wilful distortion of history and a further slide into senile dementia.”
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Dare argued that equating Tinubu’s elected administration with military dictatorships mocks the pain of eras when Nigerians faced jail, exile or death by decree. “The absurdity of Atiku’s ‘dictatorship’ narrative collapses under minimal scrutiny,” he added, highlighting Atiku’s own freedoms like travel, rallies and public jabs at the president.
The aide accused Atiku of weaponising defeats to discredit elections that do not go his way, framing economic reforms as repression out of “desperation driven by unfulfilled ambition.”
“To argue that a ballot-produced government is worse than one imposed by bullets is reckless and corrosive,” Dare said, cautioning that it disrespects June 12’s legacy and edges toward subverting democracy.
Dare portrayed Atiku’s outburst as sour grapes, not leadership, insisting Nigeria has left military rule behind and remains committed to democratic principles despite opposition attacks.
