2027: Nothing Must Happen To Obi, Atiku Warns Tinubu Administration

A former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday cautioned the Federal Government against any action that could endanger opposition leaders.

Atiku declared that the safety of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state.

He also called for the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to due process and equal protection under the law.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said democracy can only thrive where opposition figures are free to exercise their constitutional rights without fear or intimidation.

He argued that the strength of any democratic system should be measured not by the powers enjoyed by those in government, but by the level of protection afforded to that outside power.

“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 statement read in part.

Atiku expressed concern over what he described as the presidency’s response to Obi’s recent public comments, saying the government should address issues raised by opposition figures with restraint and facts rather than personal attacks.
According to him, political criticism should not be treated as hostility against the state.

“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.

Democracies are strengthened by reasoned engagement, not by invective.
“A government that answers every criticism with abuse projects insecurity, not confidence,” Atiku said.

The former vice president further accused the government of focusing more on political battles than addressing the country’s pressing security and economic challenges.

He maintained that the real threats confronting Nigeria remain widespread poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption and kidnapping.

“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. The daily bloodletting across our communities is the enemy. A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” he added.

He urged the Federal Government to prioritise efforts to rescue Nigerians still in captivity, noting that many families continue to wait for the return of relatives abducted by criminal gangs.

“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,” he stressed.

He further urged the government to devote the same level of urgency it applies to political communication towards tackling insecurity and restoring public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.

On the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Atiku said justice must be guided by fairness and constitutional principles rather than political considerations.

“The continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has generated widespread public concern. 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. Justice must never create the appearance of selective application,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate also challenged the government to respond transparently to issues of public concern rather than engage in what he called needless political distractions.

“Public confidence is not restored through insults or propaganda. It is restored through openness, accountability and the courage to answer legitimate questions. Governments earn trust by confronting controversy with facts, strengthening institutions and demonstrating that no one is above scrutiny,” he added.

Warning against what he described as the shrinking of Nigeria’s democratic space, Atiku said history would ultimately judge governments by how well they protected citizens, upheld justice and defended democratic institutions rather than by how aggressively they confronted political opponents.

“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. Stop chasing political opponents and start confronting the crises that are bleeding our nation.

“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,” the statement further read.

Atiku’s statement comes amid heightened political exchanges between the presidency and opposition figures following recent criticisms of the Tinubu administration by Peter Obi.

It also follows ongoing debates over the treatment of opposition politicians and concerns expressed by some political actors and civil society groups about the state of democratic freedoms, political tolerance and adherence to due process in the country.

Recall that Obi in a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo claimed that he might not be alive to contest the 2027 polls even as he accused the Tinubu-led government of targeting his business concerns.

The Federal Government has consistently maintained that its actions are guided by the rule of law and has repeatedly stated that no individual is above the law, irrespective of political affiliation.