“Tinubu, APC terrified of competition” – Atiku alleges

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of strangling democracy in Nigeria.

Atiku, a two-time presidential candidate and leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said Tinubu is actively dismantling democracy and pushing Nigeria towards a full-blown authoritarian rule.

According to Atiku, the actions by the president and his party has dangerous implications not just for Nigeria but for the entire West African subregion.

Atiku said this while reacting to the siege on the properties of the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The former vice president described DSS’s action against Malami as lawless, vindictive, and politically motivated.

“This is not governance. This is intimidation. This is a regime weaponising state power to silence dissent.

“What we are seeing is the naked abuse of power—security agencies deployed not for national security, but for settling political scores. This is how democracies die.

“Let it be said clearly: this government is terrified of competition. That is why it is resorting to brute force—harassing, intimidating, and attempting to break opposition leaders into submission,” Atiku said.

Also citing the case of former governor Nasir El-Rufai and the anti-graft agencies, Atiku accused the President and the ruling party of strategising towards coercing these individuals into abandoning opposition politics and falling in line with the APC.

“When opposition is criminalised and dissent is punished, elections become a mere formality. If Tinubu wants to run unopposed, then let INEC stop wasting public funds on a sham election.

“We have seen this script before. It ended in national disgrace. What is happening now is a dangerous replay—one that Nigerians must resist,” Atiku added.

He further accused Tinubu of following the path of a civilian while deceiving Nigerians and the world that he is running a democratic nation.

“Freedom of choice is the lifeblood of democracy. Once you kill it, dictatorship takes over. What Tinubu is engineering is nothing short of a civilian coup—denying Nigerians real options while pretending to run a democracy.”

“A confident leader welcomes competition. Only a weak and insecure one fears it. This administration’s actions expose its fear—and Nigerians are watching,” Atiku noted.