Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the recent summoning of the former Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) showed that the country is slipping into authoritarian rule under President Bola Tinubu.
He added that the country cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity.
Atiku in a statement issued Friday said the recent events in Kaduna, Katsina, and other areas highlight a troubling trend towards authoritarianism under the Tinubu administration.
He noted that the summons of El-Rufai and leaders of the ADC in Kaduna, the brazen attack on former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum meeting on security reforms are not isolated incidents.
According to him, Instead, they signify a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy.
Atiku added: “It is important to emphasise that dissent is vital to democracy. Criminalising opposition, attacking reformist voices, and undermining peaceful civic engagement erode the foundations of our Republic.
“No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles.
“Without a doubt, Nigeria is dangerously close to slipping into authoritarian rule if these patterns of repression continue unabated. We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity.”
Atiku called on all Nigerians, both statesmen and citizens, to recognize the urgency of this moment.
He said defending the country’s democracy cannot be the sole responsibility of the opposition; but a collective national duty.