Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar launched a scathing attack on the administration of President Bola Tinubu over what he described as the “cruel” treatment of opposition figures.
In his acceptance speech after winning the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 presidential election, he accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government of weaponising security agencies and the judiciary to suppress internal democracy and silence dissenting voices.
He criticised the continued three-month detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as a symbol of state-sponsored oppression.
“He has remained in detention for three months despite court orders granting him bail,” Atiku stated.
READ MORE: Atiku wins not Tinubu — PDP
“Authorities denied him the opportunity to celebrate two important religious holidays with his family and prevented him from being at his mother’s bedside as she took her last breath, simply because he is a leading opposition figure. This kind of cruelty must stop.”
The Adamawa-born politician further alleged that the Federal Government used anti-corruption agencies to intimidate politicians into defecting to the ruling party.
He claimed that once opposition figures joined the APC, “the harassment stopped and the charges against them mysteriously disappeared.”
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The ADC presidential candidate revealed that opposition leaders exercised caution and carried out due diligence while forming the current coalition.
He alleged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Presidency were attempting to undermine and deregister.
He warned that the coalition would fiercely resist any administrative interference by state actors in the internal affairs of the ADC.
Atiku also extended an olive branch to former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
He urged them to unite with him in what he described as the struggle to rescue Nigeria’s democracy.
He maintained that the primary election produced no winners or losers because of the “fierce urgency of the moment.”
Governance blueprint
Ahead of the general elections scheduled for next year, Atiku promised a clean break from what he called twelve years of APC misrule.
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He criticised the Tinubu administration’s dependence on external borrowing.
He noted that Nigeria accumulated about $30 billion in debt within the last three years.
He alleged that government officials diverted the funds to cronies through contracts awarded without due process.
The former vice president pledged to tackle critical national challenges through five key priorities if elected president.
He promised to recruit more security personnel and deploy modern infrastructure to curb the killings of civilians and military officers.
READ MORE: 2027: Atiku Abubakar wins ADC presidential ticket
He vowed to implement free and compulsory primary and secondary education to address the crisis of more than 20 million out-of-school children.
Atiku pledged to resolve the energy crisis, drive industrialisation and ease the economic hardship linked to the removal of fuel subsidy.
He promised to prioritise primary healthcare and establish localised centres of medical excellence to reverse the underfunding of the health sector.
Atiku pledged to restructure and decentralise governance among Nigeria’s constituent units.
