Former Nigerian vice-president Atiku Abubakar has warned that the country’s democratic health will be judged by how it treats opposition figures, calling on the federal government to ensure the safety of Labour Party leader Peter Obi and release former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate argued that the protection of political opponents was a constitutional obligation and a defining test of democratic governance.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi,” Atiku said. “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.”
His intervention follows what he described as an increasingly hostile political climate, accusing the presidency of responding to criticism with personal attacks rather than measured engagement.
Atiku said the government should demonstrate restraint when confronted with dissent, particularly from opposition politicians raising concerns about the country’s direction or their personal safety.
“The Presidency must understand that democratic leadership demands composure, not contempt,” he said. “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.”
He added that governments which answer criticism with abuse risk projecting insecurity rather than confidence.
The former vice-president also argued that the administration had become distracted by political battles while Nigeria grappled with deepening economic hardship and persistent insecurity.
“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria,” he said. “Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy.”
He said government resources should be directed towards addressing the country’s pressing challenges, particularly the continued abduction of citizens by criminal gangs.
“There are schoolchildren and teachers still waiting to be reunited with their families,” Atiku said. “There are countless innocent Nigerians languishing in the camps of kidnappers. These are the emergencies that deserve the full machinery of government—not endless political sparring with opposition figures.”
Calling for renewed efforts to tackle insecurity, he urged the federal government to devote the same urgency it applies to political communication to securing the release of those held captive and restoring public confidence in the country’s security institutions.
Atiku also renewed his demand for the immediate release of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that every Nigerian was entitled to due process and equal protection under the law.
“The continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has generated widespread public concern,” he said. “Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court.”
He warned that justice must not appear selective, insisting that public trust depended on fairness and adherence to constitutional principles.
The former vice-president further urged the government to address public controversies surrounding its administration through transparency and accountability rather than political confrontation.
“Public confidence is not restored through insults or propaganda,” he said. “It is restored through openness, accountability and the courage to answer legitimate questions.”
Concluding his statement, Atiku warned that history would judge governments less by how effectively they confronted political rivals than by whether they protected citizens, upheld the rule of law and defended democratic institutions.
“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. 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. “History will not remember how fiercely a government fought its critics. It will remember whether it protected its citizens, upheld justice, rescued the vulnerable and preserved the democracy entrusted to its care.”
