APC National Secretary Mocks Atiku Abubakar for Allegedly Sleeping at Opposition Summit

In Nigeria's vibrant political arena, even moments of supposed unity among opposition parties can become fodder for political sparring. The recent opposition summit in Ibadan, intended to forge a united front for the 2027 general election, has inadvertently provided the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with an opportunity to mock its rivals.

Ajibola Basiru, the National Secretary of the APC, seized upon a photograph showing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seemingly asleep during the crucial summit. Basiru took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to share the image, accompanied by a pointed caption: "And the opposition leader slept at the all-important opposition summit." This jab, while seemingly petty, serves a strategic purpose for the APC: to sow doubt about the seriousness and cohesion of the opposition.

From our perspective at Vanguard, this incident highlights the often theatrical nature of Nigerian politics. While the opposition leaders are engaged in the serious business of strategizing for the next election, the ruling party is quick to exploit any perceived weakness. The image of Abubakar appearing to sleep, regardless of the reality behind it, is being amplified to undermine the opposition's credibility and their efforts to present a united front. This kind of political maneuvering is common, and it underscores the challenges the opposition faces not only in uniting their own ranks but also in fending off attacks from the ruling party.

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And the opposition leader slept at the all-important opposition summit.