Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described recent events in the country as a “coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices,” warning of “growing authoritarian tendencies” under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku made the comments in a statement posted on his official X account on Friday.
Atiku cited several incidents, including the summons of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and ADC leaders, the “attack on former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami,” and the “violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum security meeting.”
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He warned that these were not isolated events but a serious threat to Nigeria’s “democratic values.”
He emphasized that “Dissent is vital to democracy,” and that “Criminalising opposition, attacking reformist voices, and undermining peaceful civic engagement erode the foundations of our Republic.”
Atiku said that “Nigeria is dangerously close to slipping into authoritarian rule if these patterns of repression continue unabated,” adding, “We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity.”
He concluded by urging all Nigerians to see the defense of democracy as a “collective national duty,” saying, “Nigeria belongs to all of us, not just the ruling party or any single individual.”
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