Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to ensure the safety of opposition leaders, saying it is the constitutional duty of the Nigerian state to protect every citizen regardless of political affiliation.
He also called for the release of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that all Nigerians deserve fair treatment under the law.
Atiku made the call in a statement issued in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu. He said democracy can only function properly when opposition figures are free to express their views and participate in politics without fear or intimidation.
The former vice president stated that the strength of a democratic system should be judged by how well it protects those outside government. He warned that any threat to Peter Obi or any other opposition leader would weaken democratic values and reduce public confidence in the political process.
Atiku also reacted to the Presidency’s response to recent comments made by Obi. He said government should respond to criticism with facts, calmness and responsible leadership instead of personal attacks. According to him, criticism from opposition figures should not be treated as an attack on the state.
He argued that the Federal Government should give greater attention to tackling the country’s pressing problems, including insecurity, poverty, hunger, corruption and kidnapping, rather than engaging in political disputes with opposition politicians. He said many Nigerians remain in captivity, including schoolchildren, teachers and other victims of abduction, and called on the government to focus its energy on securing their release.
Speaking on the continued detention of El-Rufai, Atiku said justice should always follow constitutional principles and due process. He maintained that every Nigerian has the right to equal protection under the law and should be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
He further urged the government to build public trust through transparency, accountability and clear responses to issues of national concern instead of political exchanges. According to him, public confidence grows when institutions are allowed to function independently and when government actions are guided by openness.
Atiku warned against any action that could reduce democratic space in Nigeria, saying history would judge leaders by how they protected citizens, respected justice and defended democratic institutions rather than by how they confronted political opponents.
His remarks followed recent political exchanges between the Presidency and opposition figures after Peter Obi claimed during an interview that he feared he might not be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election because of what he described as growing pressure on his business interests.
The Federal Government has continued to maintain that all its actions are guided by the rule of law and that no individual is above the law, regardless of political affiliation.