Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of dismantling Nigeria’s democracy under the guise of leadership. In a Democracy Day statement released on Thursday, Atiku argued that the government is veering away from democratic norms and toward authoritarianism.
“The ruling party and its federal government now govern with the unmistakable intent to dominate, subdue, and silence,” he declared.
Atiku claimed that instead of genuine governance, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is engaged in a strategy of political conquest, systematically erasing dissent and enriching insiders. “What we are witnessing is not governance, it is conquest,” he said, citing the awarding of multi-billion-naira contracts to close associates of the president and the renaming of national institutions in his honour.
He went further to say, “This government represents the lowest ebb in our democratic journey. Institutions have been weaponized. Policies are crafted not to empower the people but to entrench fear, obedience, and control.”
Reflecting on the legacy of June 12 and the sacrifices made by democracy heroes like MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and Alfred Rewane, Atiku warned that their struggles are being betrayed by the current regime. He said the fight for democracy must now be revived—not just politically, but as a moral imperative.
“This is not just a political contest; it is a moral crusade,” he said, calling on Nigerians to defend democracy and reject authoritarian rule. “As long as oppression thrives, June 12 lives on, not just as memory, but as movement.”
