As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, a member of the House of Representatives, Dr Wale Ahmed, and a group of lawyers and policy analysts under the aegis of The Progressive Counsel have criticised former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his renewed focus on President Bola Tinubu’s academic, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and United States records.
They described Atiku’s latest legal actions, including his fresh challenge to Tinubu’s eligibility and reported request to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for records relating to the President, as distractions from the major issues confronting Nigerians.
Ahmed, who represents Agege Federal Constituency, made his position known in a statement on Wednesday, following reports that Atiku had commenced a fresh legal action at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking Tinubu’s disqualification from the 2027 presidential election over alleged irregularities surrounding his NYSC certificate.
The lawmaker said the allegations against Tinubu remained matters for judicial determination and should not be presented as established facts.
“The case remains pending, and the allegations have not been established by a court,” Ahmed said.
While acknowledging the importance of legitimate scrutiny of public officials, Ahmed argued that the 2027 elections should be centred on policies, governance and the ability of candidates to provide solutions to the country’s challenges.
“Nigerians deserve a campaign of ideas, not an endless recycling of allegations.
“If anybody believes President Tinubu has failed, let that person tell Nigerians what he will do differently and how he will do it,” he said.
Ahmed questioned the continued emphasis on Tinubu’s certificates when Nigerians were more concerned about issues such as the economy, insecurity, infrastructure and unemployment.
He also cautioned against conflating the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s Nigerian academic and NYSC records with a separate legal matter in the United States involving historical investigations and civil forfeiture proceedings concerning funds allegedly linked to the President.
“There is a difference between legitimate scrutiny and political obsession. If there is a case before a court, let the court determine it. But an election campaign cannot be reduced to litigating the same allegations repeatedly,” he said.
On Atiku’s presidential ambition, Ahmed said he respected the former Vice-President’s desire to become President but argued that the current political arrangement should be taken into consideration.
“I respect the life ambition of Atiku to be President, but for now he should know that the Presidency remains in the South. A southerner must have his eight-year tenure, just as the North did between 2015 and 2023,” he said.
Ahmed further claimed that Tinubu would seek a second term in 2027 and urged Atiku to support the administration, suggesting that the former Vice-President could pursue his presidential ambition at a later time.
“Atiku should know that longevity belongs to God. He could still be President in 2031, only if he retraces his steps to the All Progressives Congress,” the lawmaker added.
The Agege lawmaker maintained that Tinubu should ultimately be judged by his performance in office and the impact of his policies rather than allegations that remain contested before the courts.
He reaffirmed his support for the President, saying Nigeria needed continuity and consolidation of the reforms being implemented by the Tinubu administration.
