Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has severely criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu following violent assaults directed at opposition figures, including Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress and Manir Muhammad Dan'iya, the governorship flagbearer for the African Democratic Congress in Sokoto State.
Through a public announcement disseminated via his official social media profile on Saturday, Atiku characterized the coordinated assaults as alarming developments that demand urgent national attention.
"The simultaneous attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, and the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan'iya, are deeply troubling and unacceptable," Atiku stated.
Why did the former Vice President condemn the incidents?
Describing the hostile encounters as a perilous hazard to pluralism, Atiku alleged that the current federal leadership is fostering a climate aimed at suppressing dissenting political factions.
He further charged that the central government is cultivating an unsafe environment for political contenders challenging the ruling party, cautioning that the nation risks descending into authoritarianism.
"This is not how democracy works. No Nigerian should be attacked for daring to contest against those in power. If opposition is under attack, then democracy itself is under attack," Atiku emphasized.
What steps has Atiku demanded from authorities?
In the wake of the violent episodes, the opposition leader urged law enforcement agencies to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Additionally, he appealed to President Tinubu to restrain his loyalists and guarantee a level playing field for all political actors moving forward.