Tinubu Government And The Smear Campaign Against Atiku Abubakar And Members Of The Opposition -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

One of the things I have observed which many concerned observers have expressed also is the plot of the Tinubu government to perpetuate itself in power beyond 2027 against the wish of the electorates. And their plans as I have stated in earlier essays are to invest heavily in propaganda to churn out lies and sustain wrong narratives, to focus on opposition with a view to destabilize them, suppress criticisms and civil advocacy, induce many into their fold and intimidate those not working for them. And in pursuant of that, they have picked on key opposition figures for harassment and smear campaign.

All these are because Tinubu is not prepared for fair play or to play according to the rules of engagement, not just because of his crude political philosophy but because he has absolutely nothing tangible to campaign with having failed woefully to meet the yearnings of the people of Nigeria in the years three of being in the saddle. His words that: all is fair in politics reinforces this position. In the absence of any tangible achievement to campaign with, Tinubu has put his men in overdrive to marshal out every arsenal and resources at their disposal to fight to frustrate the opposition as part of his “all is fair in politics” philosophy.

There is no gainsaying that Tinubu and his political team are quite frightened about failure at the polls having failed the nation. And as I write this, the news filtered out that Tinubu has appointed over 200 media hack writers for campaign to ensure media presence and occupy social media space to sustain their propaganda, lies, false and misleading narratives. Indeed, Tinubu and his cronies are fidgety. They have expressed their fears and disdain for the opposition in many ways. Just last week, Nyesom Wike, the Tinubu henchman in the Federal Capital Territory and in Rivers State expressed his apprehension for Atiku and Obi, the main opposition figures, coming to power when he stated publicly that their victory at the polls in the 2027 elections would spell doom for him. The implication of Wike’s declaration is that he was willing to violate the rules to ensure the carrying out of the APC’s win-at-all-costs strategy.

And Wike displayed that politics of desperation, bitterness and acrimony last weekend the September 5, 2026 when dignitaries from all over the country gathered at Ubima, Ikwerre for the funeral of Rotimi Amaechi’s mother, Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi when Wike organized the city-boys show in the same Ikwerre neighborhood and blocked the route of the dignitaries going in and out of Port-Harcourt. And Governor Siminalayi Fubara himself afraid of being caught in the cross fire of political fracas travelled out to UK.

Undoubtedly, Wike’s conduct is all part of the APC’s negative politics; politics of bitterness and acrimony. In Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Lagos, the APC has made sure it is only the Tinubu and the APC campaign adverts that are on display and not that of any of the opposition.

Another salient thing about the APC gang is there campaign of calumny against Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president and the ADC presidential flag bearer. First, was the old wily OBJ, who in spite of his open façade, works under cover for Tinubu, his kinsman, blackmailed Atiku making allegations of corruption against his former deputy as he has always done during election period, followed by an unauthorized and unsolicited cash lodgment into Atiku’s private account described as “Contribution Electioneering Campaign” by a yet to be identified mysterious depositor. The purpose of those behind the lodgment was to indict him for a breach of electoral law. And the APC team is fingered for this. Again, on September 1, 2026, there was a viral rumor on the different social media platforms and a report on the front page of the Tribune online, which was said to be doctored by hackers that Atiku Abubakar promised to ban landlords from collecting rent and impose a 10-year prison sentence on violators, something designed to pitch Atiku against the landlords and property developers across the nation. What a strategy! Tinubu and his team are strategists indeed.

Clearly all of that show that Atiku is a formidable force and a big threat to them. All the fixation by the APC on the opposition especially on Atiku is to distract him and stop him from conclusively pursuing the case for the release of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s FBI criminal records. My word for Atiku and all members of the opposition is not to relent despite the attacks from the APC but to close ranks and work to remove the hydra-headed APC from power and save the country from total collapse.

There is no doubt right now that the APC campaign team knows that Tinubu is a hard sale product, unwanted and despised by eligible voters in Nigeria because of his antecedents, failures and anti-people policies. And with the looming reality of failure at the polls in the coming election, they are obviously desperate and apprehensive, thereby making them resort to violence and unorthodox means to have their way. The political class as well as the voters know this. The world knows and they are watching with interest. Would the people allow Tinubu and his team of riggers subvert the will of the people as they did in 2023? Would Nigerians allow another four years or more of misery and frustration from the Affliction Persons’ Party (APC) as the Tinubu party is now known? One thing is sure and that is that Tinubu cannot win a free and fair election in Nigeria. The only way he can continue is if Nigerians allow him to rig his way.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com
An actress, social activist, politician
London, UK