By Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, warned that Nigeria is edging dangerously close to authoritarian rule under the Tinubu administration.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, Atiku pointed to recent incidents in Kaduna, Katsina, and other parts of the country as proof of growing intolerance for opposition voices.
“The recent events in Kaduna, Katsina, and other areas highlight a troubling trend towards authoritarianism under the Tinubu administration,” he said.
He listed the summons of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and leaders of the African Democratic Congress, the attack on former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum security meeting as examples of what he called “a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy.”
Atiku warned that Nigeria’s democratic foundations were being eroded.
“It is important to emphasise that dissent is vital to democracy. Criminalising opposition, attacking reformist voices, and undermining peaceful civic engagement erode the foundations of our Republic. No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles.”
The former vice president further said that the country must not return to a culture of “fear, silence, and impunity.”
“Without a doubt, Nigeria is dangerously close to slipping into authoritarian rule if these patterns of repression continue unabated. We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity,” he warned.
He also called on Nigerians to rise above partisan divides and protect democratic values.
“I urge all Nigerians, both statesmen and citizens, to recognise the urgency of this moment. Defending our democracy cannot be the sole responsibility of the opposition; it is a collective national duty. Power is transient, but history will harshly judge those who wield it against the people instead of in their service.”
According to Atiku, democracy must be defended as a shared heritage. “Nigeria belongs to all of us, not just the ruling party or any single individual. We must not allow the principles of liberty, justice, and the rule of law to be undermined by partisan desperation,” he said.
