Godsent Ogbebor – Abuja Correspondent
Atiku Meets U.S. Envoy, Warns Nigerians Against Tribal Politics
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to reject tribal sentiments in politics, describing it as a major obstacle to national development.
Atiku gave the charge in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., where discussions focused on strengthening democracy, security, and bilateral relations between both countries.
The 2027 presidential hopeful said tribalism has long been exploited by the political elite to divide citizens and advance selfish ambitions. He cautioned that voters must evaluate leaders based on competence and track record rather than ethnicity.
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“The focus must be on competence, antecedents and qualities of the candidate, not whether he is Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba,” Atiku said, adding that Nigeria’s unity and progress depend on the people rising above ethnic manipulations.
His remarks drew a swift reaction from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which dismissed his recent statements on hunger and insecurity as reckless and misleading.
APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, accused Atiku of attempting to incite unrest, noting that the former Vice President had ample opportunity while in government to address those same issues but failed to do so.
Morka urged Nigerians to ignore what he described as self-serving rhetoric and to remain steadfast in supporting the Tinubu administration’s policies aimed at strengthening the economy and national security.
