Atiku Links Simultaneous Assaults to Political Intimidation
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned simultaneous attacks on two political candidates, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of preparing to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters.
In a statement, Atiku, who is the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), addressed the assaults on Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), in Ekiti State, and Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, the ADC governorship candidate in Sokoto State.
Atiku described the simultaneous attacks as "deeply troubling and unacceptable." He stated that these incidents expose the extent to which the ruling APC administration is prepared to suppress political dissent.
The former vice president highlighted the timing of the violence, noting that it occurred while President Bola Tinubu was away on a spiritual pilgrimage. Atiku alleged that during this absence, "political enforcers and thugs loyal to his party are unleashing terror on his political opponents." This assertion frames the current wave of aggression not as isolated criminal acts, but as coordinated efforts by party loyalists exploiting the president's physical absence from the capital.
Demands for Investigation and Electoral Integrity
Atiku called for immediate and transparent investigations into both attacks. He urged the Tinubu government to guarantee a free, fair, and competitive contest in the forthcoming general elections.
The ADC presidential candidate asserted that Nigerians must be allowed to freely participate in an electoral contest to determine the fate of the current administration. This demand underscores the ADC's position that the integrity of the upcoming polls is contingent upon the cessation of state-sanctioned or tolerated violence against opposition figures.
Atiku also raised specific concerns regarding the conduct of local security outfits in Sokoto State. He claimed that such groups have been harassing ADC supporters and manhandling citizens for wearing ADC merchandise. This detail points to a localized strategy of intimidation, where visual symbols of political affiliation are being targeted by non-state actors or loosely affiliated security personnel.
He warned that these actions signal a dangerous slide toward a censored state where opposition is crushed by brute force, rather than through democratic processes. The warning serves as a broader critique of the political climate, suggesting that the suppression of dissent is becoming institutionalized through fear and physical coercion.