Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, warned the Federal Government on Thursday, July 9, 2026, to guarantee the safety of opposition leader Peter Obi and immediately release detained former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Okay News reports that Atiku Abubakar issued the warning through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, demanding an end to the harassment of political opponents.
The statement follows comments by Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, who stated he might not be alive to contest the upcoming election. “Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” the statement read.
Atiku Abubakar criticized the Presidency for responding to Peter Obi with personal insults rather than addressing public concerns. “A government that answers every criticism with abuse projects insecurity, not confidence,” he said.
Directing attention to national security, the former Vice President urged the government to focus on rescuing abducted citizens and addressing economic hardship instead of fighting critics. “The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy. A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” Atiku said.Atiku Abubakar also called for the release of Nasir El-Rufai, emphasizing that every citizen is entitled to the presumption of innocence. “The continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has generated widespread public concern. Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court. Justice must never create the appearance of selective application,” he said.
