Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that the 2027 general elections will determine President Bola Tinubu's fate, describing the upcoming polls as a referendum on the current administration's performance.

Speaking through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, on Monday night, Atiku was responding to recent allegations from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that accused him of attempting to reposition the opposition for personal gain.

"It's clear that these people were never prepared for governance. All they're interested in is politics. They've gone to extreme lengths to ensure the demise of progress. Every action they've taken contradicts the very essence of democracy," Ibe stated.

Criticism of Government Performance

Atiku's spokesman highlighted what he described as the Tinubu administration's inefficiency, pointing to the completion of only 30 kilometres of a 700-kilometre road project in two years as evidence.

"They rolled out all the drums and celebrated completing a mere 4% of the project. Isn't that absurd? Such irresponsibility! The money spent on that celebration could have been used to build several more kilometres of that road," he remarked.

Ibe further emphasized Nigeria's deteriorating socio-economic conditions, noting that the country has become "the poverty capital of the world" and now leads Africa in child malnutrition.

Defending Atiku's Intentions

Dismissing the APC's allegations that Atiku was seeking to regain access to state resources, Ibe insisted that the former Vice President's efforts were driven by Nigerians' aspirations for a better life, not personal gain.

"Where were these critics when His Excellency was already well-established long before democracy began in 1999? Atiku has run multi-million-dollar businesses, employed people, and invested his own resources into his campaigns. He's not looking to exploit state funds like they are," Ibe stated.

The spokesman urged the APC to focus on governance rather than obsessing over Atiku's activities, maintaining that the next election will be a contest between "Tinubu and the rest of Nigeria."

This exchange comes amid growing political tensions as parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 electoral cycle, with the opposition becoming increasingly vocal in its criticism of the current administration's policies and performance.