Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised concern over what he described as Nigeria’s alarming slide into authoritarianism under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, Atiku pointed to a series of incidents in Kaduna, Katsina, and other states as evidence of an alleged coordinated effort to suppress dissent and undermine democratic principles.
Atiku highlighted events, including police summons issued to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), an attack on the convoy of former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, and the disruption of a Katsina Elders Forum meeting.
According to him, the incidents “signify a dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy.”
The former vice president, who ran against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, warned that the administration’s alleged actions signal a broader trend of stifling opposition and eroding democratic norms.
He said: “No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles.
“We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity.
“Power is transient, but history will harshly judge those who wield it against the people instead of in their service.”
