Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has condemned simultaneous attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and the ADC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya.
Atiku, in a post on his X handle on Saturday, described the attacks as deeply troubling and unacceptable.
‘The simultaneous attacks on presidential candidate of African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore @sowore, and governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Sokoto State, His Excellency Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, are deeply troubling and unacceptable,’ he said.
He said the twin assaults exposed the extent to which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration was prepared to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters.
‘These twin assaults expose the extent to which the ruling APC administration is prepared to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters,’ Atiku said.
He expressed concern that the attacks occurred while President Bola Tinubu was away on a spiritual pilgrimage.
‘It is particularly disturbing that while President Bola Tinubu is away on spiritual pilgrimage, political enforcers and thugs loyal to his party are unleashing terror on his political opponents at home. These two realities cannot coexist in a democracy,’ he said.
Atiku said the continued attacks on opposition figures and the unexplained disappearance of critical social media influencers were red flags indicating a slide towards a censored state.
‘The continued attacks on opposition figures and unexplained disappearance of critical social media influencers are clear red flags of dangerous slide toward censored state where opposition is crushed by brute force of current government. These incidents are unbecoming of any democratic government and starkly reveal desperation of Tinubu administration,’ he said.
He demanded immediate and transparent investigations into both attacks and urged the Tinubu administration to guarantee a free, fair and competitive contest in the forthcoming general elections.
‘We therefore demand immediate and transparent investigations into both attacks. Tinubu government must refrain from any attempt to muzzle opposition and must guarantee free, fair, and competitive contest in forthcoming general elections,’ he said.
Atiku also alleged that ADC supporters in Sokoto State were being harassed by a local security outfit.
‘I have it on good authority that local security outfit in Sokoto State has been harassing ADC supporters, manhandling citizens simply for wearing ADC merchandise. We shall resist every ongoing attempt to cancel political opposition in Nigeria. Ruling APC has failed in its mandate. Nigerians must be allowed to freely participate in electoral contest that will determine fate of this administration,’ he said.