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Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says recent events in Kaduna, Katsina, and other states point to a troubling drift towards authoritarianism under President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Friday, Abubakar said the invitations extended to Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, and leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state by the police; the attack on the convoy of Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general; and the disruption of a Katsina Elders Forum meeting on security reforms; were not isolated events.
He said the incidents signify “a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy”.
The former vice-president said dissent is vital to democracy and warned against criminalising opposition, attacking reformist voices, and undermining peaceful civic engagement.
“No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles,” he said.
Abubakar warned that Nigeria is close to slipping into authoritarian rule if the trend is not checked.
“We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to recognise the urgency of the moment, adding that defending democracy cannot be the sole responsibility of the opposition.
“Power is transient, but history will harshly judge those who wield it against the people instead of in their service,” he said.
The presidential hopeful added that Nigeria belongs to all citizens, and cautioned that liberty, justice, and the rule of law should not be undermined by partisan desperation.
