Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during the national conference on strengthening democracy, alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was paying opposition parties ₦50 million each to undermine Nigeria’s democracy. His statement sparked reactions, particularly from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
APGA’s Strong Response
In reaction to Atiku’s claim, APGA issued a statement on Thursday, signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, condemning the allegation as baseless. The party challenged Atiku to provide evidence to substantiate his claim or remain silent.
Accusations of Spreading Unfounded Rumors
APGA criticized Atiku for what it described as an attempt to spread falsehoods and destabilize the political atmosphere. The party emphasized that his allegations lacked proof and could damage the democratic process.
“APGA is compelled to respond to the baseless allegation made by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, claiming that the ruling APC is buying over opposition parties with ₦50 million. We condemn this assertion in the strongest terms, as it is without any proof or substance. It is unfortunate that Atiku has resorted to spreading unfounded rumors, which only serves to heat up the polity and undermine the country’s democratic process,” the statement read.
Challenge to Provide Evidence
The party further called on Atiku to name the specific opposition parties allegedly receiving ₦50 million from the APC. It insisted that without concrete evidence, his claims amounted to mere political grandstanding.
“If indeed Atiku’s interest is to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, we urge him to provide specific details of the opposition parties that have collected the said ₦50 million. It’s time for him to put up or shut up!
We, therefore, challenge Atiku to mention names, provide evidence, and substantiate his claims. Anything short of this is mere political grandstanding, which will not be taken seriously by Nigerians,” the statement added.
Conclusion
APGA’s response accentuates the party’s firm rejection of Atiku’s claims and its insistence on accountability in political discourse. The challenge now rests on the former Vice President to either present evidence or withdraw his claims.
