No Intimidation Can Stop Me, Tinubu Tells Political Foes

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday dismissed mounting pressure from opposition figures, declaring that no amount of intimidation would distract him from his reform agenda.

Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors  a political mobilisation network inaugurated weeks earlier  at the State House, Abuja, the President reaffirmed that his administration’s policies were already yielding results.

Tinubu challenged critics and political opponents, insisting that he remains the legitimate successor to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“They want to scare me off? It’s a lie. I’ve been through this path before, and if I have to come back over and over and over again, I’ll do the same thing,” he said.

The President told the ambassadors, drawn from across the country’s geopolitical zones, that he would not abandon the fight.

“Whatever you say I do, but one thing that you need from me is a promise that I won’t run away from this fight. With you, the deal is done,” he stated.

His remarks came against the backdrop of sustained political pressure from opposition figures and civil society groups who have questioned the pace of his economic reforms. Some have called for his resignation over rising hardship.

On Tuesday, the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola  a former ally  described the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a “classic scam” and joined calls for the President to step down. Other opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, also criticised the government over insecurity and economic difficulties.

President Tinubu, however, framed his reforms as necessary corrections inherited from a partner, not an adversary.

“I didn’t have to look back, because the truth is, I took over from myself. The late Buhari is me. He was a partner,” Tinubu said.

He challenged the opposition to account for their own records in office, pointing to privatisation efforts under past administrations that he said had failed.

“Your job is done. Let us go to the depth, the research, the details, and what we promised Nigerians. And I promise I won’t let you down,” he added.

The President also urged respect for the judiciary and constitutional order, saying democracy must survive beyond political noise.

Meanwhile, the Presidency dismissed Atiku’s recent television interview as lacking substance. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, described the former vice president’s appearance as a “disjointed, self-indulgent performance” that offered no credible alternative to ongoing reforms.

“What Nigerians witnessed was not leadership, not vision, and certainly not readiness for office,” Dare said.

Also on Thursday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, launched a sharp rebuke against Atiku, calling him a serial failure. Wike challenged the former vice president to compare the current state of the FCT with the period when Atiku served in the same office.

“His own boss, President Obasanjo, publicly described him as a failure and questioned his character. Why should I bother replying to someone whose own principal attached the tag of corruption to him?” Wike said.

He added that he would encourage Atiku to continue contesting elections but insisted that the 2027 presidential race was out of reach.

Wike also downplayed the threat of a proposed opposition coalition involving figures such as Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that such an alliance would not pose a serious challenge to the ruling party.