Atiku Abubakar Criticizes Economist Intelligence Unit’s Report on Nigeria’s Election

ABUJA – Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed strong disapproval of the report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) concerning the election in Nigeria, deeming it an embarrassment.

In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, Atiku Abubakar dismissed the report as biased, suggesting that it was influenced by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to mislead the Nigerian public. He urged the Economist Intelligence Unit to show respect for Nigeria’s judiciary and its judges.

Part of the statement reads, “What is also obvious in the report is that it is a merchant purchased by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to confuse the country in an uphill task to defend the sham election of February 25, which only retained the ruling party in office.”

Atiku Abubakar expressed his disappointment with the EIU’s perceived involvement in “ballot laundering” for the ruling party in Nigeria, emphasizing that such actions undermine the country’s democracy. He urged the Economist Intelligence Unit to exercise more caution before publishing reports that could potentially misrepresent the truth about Nigeria’s political landscape.

The former Vice President further accused the ruling APC of seeking legitimacy through questionable means, stating that a government resorting to such tactics raises concerns among the Nigerian populace. He emphasized the importance of respecting due process, particularly when it comes to matters being deliberated within the court system, such as the outcome of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

While Atiku Abubakar expressed his intention to exercise restraint in responding to the EIU’s report, he warned the body to uphold the principles of fair and unbiased reporting. The former Vice President emphasized the need for the Economist Intelligence Unit to refrain from engaging in trade by barter or disseminating one-sided reports about Nigeria.