- Atiku Abubakar condemns recent arrests of critics, labeling them as attempts to silence opposition and warning of a shift toward autocracy
- He calls for judicial reforms, criticizing the Nigerian judiciary for becoming a threat to democracy rather than a pillar of support
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of suppressing critics and opposition voices.
Atiku made this statement while reacting to the recent arrests of Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), and Usman Yusuf, a former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He described these arrests as deliberate attempts to silence opposition figures in Nigeria.
Speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday, Atiku emphasized the need for judicial reforms to curb what he called “judicial recklessness.”
“When I warned that Tinubu and the APC were focusing on systematically harassing, intimidating, and dismantling the opposition to push their agenda for a one-party autocracy, I became the target of vicious attacks,” Atiku said.
“The arrest and baseless prosecution of Omoyele Sowore is just another step in this ongoing campaign.
“Now, they have added Professor Usman Yusuf, a vocal critic of this administration, to their growing list.
“At this rate, it seems they may soon seek to incarcerate all of us.
“In less than two decades, the Nigerian judiciary has shifted from being a pillar of democracy to becoming, arguably, one of its biggest threats.”