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By Oscar Okhifo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that insults directed at him or former presidential candidate Peter Obi do not serve Nigeria’s interest, saying such attacks weaken the opposition and harm the country.
Atiku stated this on Wednesday in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, reacting to rising verbal exchanges among opposition supporters, which he said only fuel internal division and benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Atiku, attacks on opposition figures only deepen internal divisions and shift attention away from the shared objective of building a credible, united front capable of offering Nigerians an alternative to the ruling party.
“Anyone who insults Obi or Atiku does not mean well for the leaders, the Coalition ADC and for Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.
The former vice president argued that internal hostility within the opposition only strengthens the APC, which he described as the major beneficiary of such infighting.
“The only persons who benefit from such a civil war are the APC urban bandits who want to maintain the satanic status quo,” Atiku added.
Atiku also said that, unity, restraint and mutual respect among opposition leaders and their supporters are essential to strengthening democracy and addressing Nigeria’s pressing socio-economic challenges.
However, he has continued to face criticism from some Nigerians over his prolonged involvement in partisan politics and repeated bids for the presidency, with critics arguing that he is old enough to retire from active contest and instead mentor younger political actors within the opposition.
Despite the backlash, political observers believe Atiku is likely to seek the presidency again in 2027, a development that has continued to shape conversations within the opposition coalition and among his supporters.
His remarks followed complaints from various quarters that supporters of opposition figures, particularly those loyal to him and Peter Obi, have been trading accusations and insults, a trend observers warn could widen existing cracks within the fragile opposition alliance.
The opposition coalition, operating under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has gained traction in recent months following a wave of high-profile defections aimed at presenting a stronger challenge to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Peter Obi formally joined the ADC in December 2025 after leaving the Labour Party, citing the need for a more robust opposition platform to tackle Nigeria’s economic difficulties and governance shortcomings, while Atiku had earlier defected in November 2025 as part of what he described as a broader effort to “rescue Nigeria.”