The All Progressives Congress (APC) has made a statement claiming that Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi cannot be trusted with power due to their alleged desperation.

The party has expressed concerns about the intentions and reliability of the two politicians. According to the APC, it believes that Atiku and Obi should not be entrusted with the responsibility of holding power.

The party on Tuesday, dismissed the potential merger talk between the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar and the standard-bearer of the Labour Party in the election, Peter Obi.

The ruling party also said it had no doubt the meeting between the two opposition candidates would amount to nothing, saying it was being fuelled by a mutual desperation to ensure President Bola Tinubu did not return to office in 2027.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja, titled “Atiku, Obi united by mutual desperation.”

On May 13, Atiku and Peter Obi held a private meeting at Atiku’s residence in Abuja. The details of the meeting were shared on social media through viral photographs. Atiku himself took to his X handle to express his gratitude for hosting Peter Obi, stating, “It was my honor and privilege to host #PeterObi today.”

Obi, the same day, also met with two chieftains of the PDP, the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the erstwhile governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

Reacting on Tuesday to the planned coalition, Morka acknowledged that the meeting of the political allies had further heightened the speculations of a possible alliance between both men and their political parties ahead of 2027.

The APC spokesman, however, maintained that it was unclear whether Obi would be willing to make a comeback to Atiku’s PDP or whether the latter would agree to dump his party to seek “rehabilitation” in Obi’s Labour Party.

He said, “The news of Peter Obi’s return to the PDP would be hardly surprising. His reputation as a political wayfarer is only dwarfed by Atiku’s track record as a veteran political wanderer.

“News of Atiku joining the Labour Party will shock no one as he will be living up to his well-established reputation as the country’s most itinerant politician.

“For now, Utomi’s mega party remains a figment with no offering of tangible accommodation for both men.

“Atiku and Obi are united by their mutual desperation to be President of Nigeria and the ignoble disdain for President Bola Tinubu’s focused and extraordinary commitment to the transformation of our nation.

“Their restless drift in search of convenient party platforms to execute their presidential run only belies the self-indulgent and opportunistic essence of their aspirations.”

He said by their character, Nigerians could not trust both Atiku and Obi with power, as they would not be able to handle national challenges.

“Men without the staying power to build or fix their own parties, who flee at the slightest flicker of internal crisis, cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to tackle serious and complex national, political and economic challenges that confront our nation.

“We urge Nigerians to stand fast in their invaluable support of our great party and President Bola Tinubu’s determined commitment to deliver a stronger, secure and more prosperous country for us all,” the party spokesman said.