Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a stern warning over what he described as a “coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices” in Nigeria.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections was reacting to the police summons issued to former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the reported attack on former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum security meeting.
Atiku, in a statement shared on his official X account on Friday, said these incidents were not isolated but part of a disturbing pattern under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The recent events in Kaduna, Katsina, and other areas highlight a troubling trend towards authoritarianism under the Tinubu administration,” he said.
According to him, “The summons of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and leaders of the ADC in Kaduna, the brazen attack on former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum meeting on security reforms are not isolated incidents. Instead, they signify a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy.”
The former Vice President insisted that Nigeria’s democracy could only thrive when opposing voices were respected and protected.
“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,” Atiku noted.
He further cautioned that the use of security forces to intimidate political opponents would erode the principles of democracy.
“No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles,” he added.
Atiku also warned that Nigeria risked sliding into authoritarian rule if such practices continued unchecked.
“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 urged Nigerians across political affiliations to collectively defend democracy, noting that safeguarding freedom was a national responsibility.
“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,” he stated.
okay.ng reports that the Katsina Elders Forum security meeting was recently disrupted, while former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami was attacked by suspected thugs. In addition, El-Rufai accused security agencies of obstructing a meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna, despite constitutional guarantees of association.
