Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that nothing must happen to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress.
Atiku gave the warning in a statement by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, on Thursday.
The warning may not be unconnected to Peter Obi’s recent alarm over threats to his life in an interview ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The alarm has since stirred concerns among Nigerians who condemned the threats to life over politics.
However, in a terse statemnet, Atiku noted that the safety of every opposition leader is a constitutional obligation of the Nigerian state and a test of its 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.”
“The Presidency must understand that democratic leadership demands composure, not contempt. 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. Democracies are strengthened by reasoned engagement, not by invective. A government that answers every criticism with abuse projects insecurity, not confidence.
“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. A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” he stated.