Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Federal Government to ensure the safety of opposition leaders, urging authorities to protect Peter Obi and immediately release former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the strength of any democracy should be measured by how well it safeguards the constitutional rights of those outside government rather than how power is exercised by those in office.
He stressed that the safety of opposition figures is a constitutional responsibility of the state and a reflection of the country’s democratic credentials.
According to Atiku, “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 former vice president also renewed his demand for the release of Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that every Nigerian deserves due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence.
He argued that justice must be administered fairly without creating any impression of selective application.
Atiku’s comments followed recent remarks by Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who said he might not be alive to participate in next year’s presidential election.
Reacting to the Presidency’s response to Obi’s remarks, Atiku criticised what he described as personal attacks instead of the restraint expected from a democratic government.
He maintained that democratic leadership requires calm, facts and responsible engagement rather than insults.
“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,” he said.
Atiku warned against treating political competition as warfare, arguing that the country’s real challenges remain poverty, insecurity, corruption, kidnapping and economic hardship.
He said government attention should be focused on addressing these pressing national issues instead of engaging in political disputes with opposition figures.
The ADC presidential candidate also highlighted the plight of abducted schoolchildren, teachers and other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers, urging the government to prioritise their rescue.
He said, “There are schoolchildren and teachers still waiting to be reunited with their families. 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.
Atiku further urged the Federal Government to address public concerns surrounding its administration with transparency and accountability, stating that public confidence is earned through openness, institutional strength and a willingness to answer legitimate questions.
He concluded by warning that history would judge governments not by how aggressively they confronted political opponents but by how effectively they protected citizens, upheld justice and preserved democratic institutions.
