Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s latest political maneuverings as futile, pointing to the swift unraveling of his proposed coalition and the defection of key allies to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Onanuga criticized the coalition being assembled by Atiku, which includes former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, and Labour Party’s vice-presidential candidate Yusuf Baba-Ahmed.
“Atiku’s political future is looking grim,” Onanuga wrote. “The alliance he’s trying to form with El-Rufai, Babachir, and Baba-Ahmed is already falling apart. Even potential supporters—like former running mate Ifeanyi Okowa and former CPC loyalists—are steering clear. Atiku has lost again.”
Onanuga’s remarks echoed a similar sentiment shared by fellow presidential aide Tunde Rahman, who noted that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was facing deeper internal turmoil. Rahman highlighted the defection of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and current Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the APC as a major blow to Atiku’s camp.
Calling it “the biggest shocker yet” for Atiku, Rahman stated that the growing support among PDP governors for President Bola Tinubu signals the collapse of Atiku’s coalition before it even got off the ground.
“The defections have started,” Rahman wrote. “Isn’t Atiku’s coalition already dead on arrival? As we say, you can tell a good Saturday from how Friday goes.”