Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that “nothing must happen” to the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, amid growing concerns over the latter’s safety ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku’s warning came a day after Obi disclosed in an interview that his life was under threat and suggested he might not be alive to participate in the 2027 presidential election.
The statement, issued by Atiku’s spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, said the safety of opposition leaders was a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state and a critical test of the country’s democratic credentials.
“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,” Atiku stated.
He urged the Presidency to respond to concerns raised by opposition figures with “statesmanship, facts and responsible conduct” rather than insults, stressing that democracy thrives on reasoned engagement.
“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. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy,” he said.
Atiku further argued that any government that devotes more attention to attacking critics than addressing pressing national challenges risks confusing political survival with the purpose of governance. Politics
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