Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under severe threat under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku expressed deep concern over what he described as “punishing economic policies” that have worsened poverty levels, eroded purchasing power, and placed unbearable pressure on households and small businesses across the country.
Atiku also decried what he termed a steady contraction of the nation’s democratic space, alleging that dissenting voices are increasingly intimidated while opposition parties are deliberately weakened through political coercion, defections induced by state power, and selective application of the law. According to him, these actions are creating a dangerous one-party dominance, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) left standing “by default rather than by popular consent.”
The former vice president argued that true democracy thrives on robust competition, accountability, and respect for the rule of law, all of which he said are being undermined. He cautioned that the erosion of opposition politics poses long-term risks to national stability and governance.
The statement further noted that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has positioned itself as a platform for national rebirth, describing it as a “rescue mission” aimed at restoring democratic values, economic justice, and inclusive governance ahead of the 2027 general elections, under the leadership of Atiku Abubakar.
