Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused Chief Bola Tinubu’s administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of systematically targeting and dismantling opposition voices in Nigeria.
Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy, Atiku warned that the government’s actions were paving the way for a one-party autocracy.
Atiku’s comments came in response to recent arrests, including that of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2023, and Professor Usman Yusuf, a former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) known for his outspoken criticism of the administration.
Describing these arrests as attempts to silence dissent, Atiku stated that such actions are part of a broader campaign to intimidate critics.
Atiku stated, “When I made the clarion call that Tinubu and the APC were devoting their energies to the systematic harassment, intimidation, and dismantling of the opposition, all in service of their grand design for a one-party autocracy, I became the target of vicious attacks.
“The arrest and baseless prosecution of Omoyele Sowore is the latest chapter in this unrelenting campaign.
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“Now, they have seen fit to add Professor Usman Yusuf — an outspoken critic of this administration — into their grim roster.
“At the pace they are going, it seems they may soon find themselves contending with the incarceration of every one of us.
“In a period of less than 20 years the Nigerian judiciary has moved from being the beacon of democratic sustenance to becoming, arguably, the biggest threat to Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.
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