The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to stop allowing his campaign spokesman, Dino Melaye, to dominate his actions. The council warned that dancing “Skelewu” on the streets of Abuja will not persuade the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to change its decision on the presidential election winner. This caution followed a demonstration by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
Atiku led PDP leaders and supporters in a peaceful protest from the party’s national secretariat to the INEC headquarters. In a statement titled “Atiku Abubakar and his band of jesters at INEC headquarters,” APC Campaign Council Director of Media and Publicity Bayo Onanuga said the ruling party was surprised that, instead of pursuing legal redress as promised, Atiku allowed himself to be guided by political foot soldiers, including Melaye. Onanuga noted, “When the defeated PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, announced last week that he would seek redress in court over the 25 February presidential election outcome, we did not expect him to abandon that promise.”
According to Onanuga, it was not surprising that Atiku, days later, led a group of protesters—whom he called “jesters”—to the INEC headquarters. He described the scene as “a new low from the perennial election loser.” The council argued that a march by a small crowd would not create any “victory window” for Atiku and his fragmented PDP. The only viable avenue, they said, is the Election Petition Tribunal, where Atiku can present evidence before the courts.
Onanuga criticized the PDP’s focus on street theatrics, saying it caused traffic disruptions for Federal Capital Territory residents on a Monday morning. He urged Atiku to respect the dignity of the former vice‑presidency and to stop being “teleguided” by Melaye, who had claimed that ₦400 billion was wasted on an election Atiku was destined to lose. The former News Agency of Nigeria chief warned that the PDP’s “court jesters” are merely comic characters in a travelling theatre group; INEC is not a court where Atiku’s prayers can be answered.
The council emphasized that the lawful path is for Atiku to have his lawyers plead his case in court, rather than “throwing tantrums like a baby whose candy was taken away.” They attributed his loss to poor judgment, mismanagement of his party, and violation of the power‑rotation arrangement between the North and the South. Onanuga added that Atiku “dug his own grave” in the last election and is now trying to rewrite the script of his failure. He pointed out that Peter Obi, Atiku’s 2019 running mate, had already taken traditional PDP votes from the South‑East and South‑South.
Onanuga called it “preposterous” that while Atiku disturbs public peace and chants phantom electoral victories, Obi makes similar claims. He suggested both men should resolve who the “supposed winner” is that will challenge the APC’s victory in court. Finally, he advised Atiku to retire honourably from politics and move to his home in Dubai. At 77 in November, Atiku “does not have age on his side again.” He has participated in his last election and, the council hopes, has learned the lesson not to place selfish interests above party principles and national polity.
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