The Democratic Front (TDF) has expressed outrage at claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that the Brigade of Guards played a different song in place of the National Anthem at the recent All Nigeria Judges’ Conference.
It also insisted that it was a lie that the judges in attendance sang President Bola Tinubu’s ‘on the mandate’ song.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group urged the former Vice President to stop his penchant for maligning government institutions because of his animosity for President Tinubu.
The statement read: “It is unfortunate that a two-term former Vice President like Atiku Abubakar would mischievously spin a normal ceremonial routine by the musical band of the Brigade of Guards, at the just concluded All Nigeria Judges Conference 2025, as “an assault on national dignity”.
”What is even more baffling is that he jumped on a social media trend assumption that the band played President Tinubu’s political song ‘on the mandate’ instead of the national anthem at the event.
”We also consider it disgraceful for Atiku to have maligned the judiciary by suggesting that judges sang the song when it was rendered by the Brigade of Guards.
”For us, it was clear that the former Vice President reached a conclusion based on a short video he claimed to have watched but what was immediately clear is that he allowed his animosity for the President to affect his sense of justice.
”In addition, it was preposterous for Atiku to have claimed that judges sang along while the mandate song was rendered.
”We consider it an insult and expect Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to apologise to the judges, especially as the National Judicial Institute (NJI) has made it clear that the social media trend that he jumped on was misleading.
”We align with the NJI position that no Judge in attendance sang any political song and that all the judges simply rose as the band played the song as part of their ceremonial protocol to usher the President to the podium to deliver his address.”
The group also shed some light on the tradition while accusing the former Vice President of mischief and deliberate falsehood.
”For more clarity, it should be noted that the Brigade of Guards has a primary responsibility towards the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. And welcoming him with renditions by its musical band into official gatherings is part of its obligations. The band chooses whatever song to play without prejudice to the preference of the audience.
”As the deputy to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, we expect him to easily recall that his former principal had a song that the same band usually rendered at any government function he attended as part of Presidential protocols.
”Like President Tinubu, Obasanjo had his own favourite song, which the band played back then. And just like they did in the Obasanjo years, there was no time it was played as a replacement for the national anthem.
”It is important to let the world know that Atiku Abubakar is majoring in minors, and grandstanding on trivial matters that are inimical to national interest, in a morbid bid to divert public attention from his failed political coalition, which has triggered an exodus of Nigerian politicians from the opposition in appreciation of the growing economic prosperity in the country.
”While we note that Atiku’s innate capacity for mischief and playing to the gallery is legendary, we advise Nigerians to avoid the former Vice President and his political antics as we march towards 2027,” it added.
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