The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his recent remark that he was prepared to “wrestle” his political opponents, urging the President to focus instead on addressing Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the President’s comment as a sign of desperation and accused the administration of failing to address the concerns of Nigerians.
“Mr President, you are a drowning man. Wrestle with your failures, not your opponents,” Atiku said.
The former Vice President was reacting to Tinubu’s remarks during an audience with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in Abuja, where the President reportedly said he would “wrestle” his opponents “to the finishing point” ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku said the statement was inappropriate, particularly as it followed the bishops’ call for credible, transparent and peaceful elections. He argued that the occasion required reassurance and statesmanship rather than combative language.
According to him, the President should direct his attention towards tackling inflation, food insecurity, unemployment, insecurity and economic difficulties rather than engaging in political exchanges.
“The President should wrestle with the millions of Nigerians who now skip meals because food has become a luxury. He should wrestle with the insecurity that has turned farming communities into graveyards and highways into hunting grounds for criminals. He should wrestle with the unemployment that has robbed an entire generation of hope,” Atiku said.
He added that the country’s economic challenges, including policy uncertainty, borrowing concerns and declining investor confidence, required urgent attention.
Atiku further argued that a government’s record in office, rather than political rhetoric, would determine its acceptance by voters.
“Governments earn another term through competence, compassion and measurable results—not through combative rhetoric,” he said.
He maintained that President Tinubu’s biggest challenge was the performance of his administration, claiming that struggling workers, businesses, unemployed graduates and victims of insecurity represented the true measure of the government’s record.
The ADC presidential candidate urged the President to spend the remainder of his tenure addressing national challenges instead of engaging in political confrontations.
“The Nigerian people are not looking for a wrestler. They are looking for a leader. History will not remember who shouted the loudest. It will remember who governed the best,” he said.
The exchange is the latest in a series of criticisms between the opposition and the Presidency over the state of the economy, rising living costs, insecurity and preparations for the 2027 elections.
Atiku, who is expected to play a prominent role in the opposition coalition under the ADC, has repeatedly criticised the Tinubu administration’s policies, while the Presidency has defended its reforms as necessary steps towards long-term economic improvement.
