Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned the Federal Government against any action that could endanger the life of opposition leader Peter Obi, insisting that the former Anambra State governor must be protected.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the safety of Obi and other opposition figures is a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian government.
His warning follows Peter Obi’s recent allegation that he fears for his safety and claims that the government is targeting him and his business interests.
Declaring that democracy is under threat when opposition voices are intimidated, Atiku said, “Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty.”
The former vice president also called for the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, stressing that every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, deserves fair treatment, due process and equal protection under the law.
According to him, democracy cannot flourish in an atmosphere where opposition leaders are unable to express their views freely without fear of intimidation or persecution.
He argued that the strength of any democratic government should not be measured by the power it wields over critics but by how it protects those outside government.
Atiku further criticised what he described as the Presidency’s response to Obi’s recent remarks, urging the government to embrace statesmanship rather than resort to personal attacks.
“When a citizen, particularly an opposition figure, voices concerns about the state of the nation or his personal safety, the first duty of government is to reassure through statesmanship, facts and responsible conduct, not through insults,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate accused the administration of focusing excessively on political opponents while millions of Nigerians continue to grapple with insecurity, hunger, poverty, corruption and widespread kidnappings.
Insisting that the country’s real enemies are not members of the opposition, Atiku declared, “The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy.”
He urged the Federal Government to channel its energy toward rescuing Nigerians still held captive by criminal gangs, including abducted schoolchildren, teachers and other victims awaiting reunion with their families.
On El-Rufai’s continued detention, Atiku maintained that justice must never appear selective, arguing that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
He added that history would ultimately judge governments not by how fiercely they confronted critics, but by how faithfully they protected citizens, upheld justice and defended democratic values.
