Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised Bola Tinubu’s administration for its economic policies, saying it has recorded “no achievement” since its inception.

In a statement on his official X handle, Atiku said Tinubu’s administration has no achievements to stand on and no credible record to defend, adding that its only strategy is “chaos and division”.

“…because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”

His outburst comes following recent mass defections in the political landscape across the country.

On Wednesday, the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the immediate past governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa, left the Peoples Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Also, a member of the House of Representatives, Oluwole Oke, resigned from the PDP and joined the APC on the same day.

Commenting on the upcoming presidential elections, the businessman said results would not be determined by political alliances, but by common goals.

“Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering. The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.

“This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another — it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.”

Atiku explained that the need to speak out on the state of the economy was engineered by calls from “concerned Nigerians”.

He lamented why he had to be castigated over his visits to former president Muhammadu Buhari.

“I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.

“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability.

“Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble. As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.

“We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again. Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari. Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape.

“During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely — including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida. So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.

“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!”

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has downplayed the recent defection of key Delta State politicians to the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that it poses no real threat to the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, the PDP chieftain described the defections as a familiar political episode that holds little long-term consequence for the PDP.