Atiku Fled PDP at First Sign of Trouble, Lacks Leadership Qualities –Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has taken a swipe at Atiku Abubakar, criticising the former vice-president over his serial defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu spoke on Friday at a state dinner reception organised by the Akwa Ibom state government.

“The other one (Atiku Abubakar)… I have been fighting the roads in Adamawa and every place where he comes from,” Tinubu said.

The president added that Atiku abandoned the PDP after indications emerged that some party members were prepared to challenge his leadership.

Tinubu described the PDP as a once formidable force, but said Atiku fled the party at first sign of trouble.

“PDP was a bunch of party, in which some of the good people here believed in… initially. Immediately, a little inkling came that they were going to challenge his leadership. He ran away,” he said.

The president further taunted Atiku’s move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“He abandoned the party; now he’s in ADC, or somewhere in the jungle, and he’s looking for presidency,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu asked why Nigerians should entrust the country’s leadership to someone he accused of ducking responsibility at a lower level when most required.

“Will you give such a person who has no leadership, no leadership quality, no sense of responsibility, no sense of cohesion that can do good to this country, the presidency?” he asked.

Tinubu also reiterated his commitment to the proposed Akwa Ibom Deep Seaport, urging the state government to fulfil its own promise.

“Keep your promise. I will keep mine. There will be Akwa Ibom Deep seaport,” he said.

Tinubu described the forthcoming presidential election as consequential, saying its outcome would determine the trajectory of the country.

“This coming election on January 16th, 2027 is a consequential election; it will determine the direction of this country,” he said.

“When I took over, 27 governors out of 36 of this country, were unable to pay salaries, not to talk of pensions and gratuities. Today, I stand before you, able to say, we are out of that dark tunnel.

“I can beat my chest to say we are out of the greatest despair, a dark tunnel of uncertainty and calamitous bankruptcy.”

Tinubu also aimed jabs at Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Atiku, Tinubu and Obi are the front-runners in next year’s presidential vote.

Atiku left the PDP in 2006 to join the Action Congress (AC) after failing to secure the party’s presidential ticket. He also departed the party in 2014 to help form the All Progressives Congress (APC). He also recently left the party on July 14, 2025.