Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Federal Government to guarantee the safety of opposition leaders, declaring that Peter Obi must not be harmed and renewing his call for the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the treatment of opposition figures is a critical test of democratic governance.
His remarks followed recent comments by Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, who expressed concern that he might not be alive to contest the poll.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all,” Atiku said. “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 warned that history has never looked kindly on governments that place political battles above the welfare and security of citizens.
Quoting a traditional proverb, he said, “When the drums of injustice beat for your neighbour, do not dance, for tomorrow they may beat for you,” adding that all Nigerians, irrespective of party affiliation, have a stake in preserving the country’s democratic space.
Atiku called on the Tinubu administration to shift its focus from political disputes to the pressing challenges confronting the nation.
“Release Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. Bring home every abducted schoolchild, every teacher and every innocent Nigerian still languishing in the hands of kidnappers,” he said. “Stop chasing political opponents and start confronting the crises that are bleeding our nation.”
He criticised the Presidency for allegedly responding to Obi’s concerns with personal attacks rather than reassurance, arguing that democratic leadership demands composure and reasoned engagement.
According to him, a government that answers criticism with insults projects insecurity rather than confidence and risks inflaming an already tense political atmosphere.
Atiku further maintained that opposition parties are not enemies of the state, insisting that the true adversaries are poverty, hunger, corruption, insecurity and the wave of kidnappings affecting communities across the country.
He noted that many families continue to await the return of loved ones abducted by criminal groups and urged the government to devote the same urgency it employs in political communication to securing their freedom.
On El-Rufai’s continued detention, Atiku said justice derives its legitimacy from fairness and adherence to due process.
He stressed that every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, is entitled to the presumption of innocence and equal protection under the law, warning against any perception of selective justice.
The former vice president concluded by calling on the Federal Government to restore public confidence through transparency, accountability and a demonstrable commitment to democratic values, arguing that history will judge leaders not by how fiercely they confronted critics, but by how effectively they protected citizens and upheld the rule of law.
