Nothing Must Happen To Peter Obi, Release El-Rufai— Atiku Tells FG
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the federal government against any action that could endanger opposition leaders, insisting that the safety of the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, remains a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state.
Atiku also demanded the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, maintaining that every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, is entitled to due process and equal protection under the law.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said democracy can only flourish when opposition figures are free to exercise their constitutional rights without intimidation or fear.
According to him, the strength of a democratic system is measured not by the powers wielded by those in government but by the level of protection guaranteed to those 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 remarks, arguing that issues raised by opposition figures should be addressed with restraint, facts and statesmanship rather than personal attacks.
He maintained that political criticism should not be interpreted as hostility towards 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 devoting more energy to political battles than tackling the country's worsening security and economic challenges.
He identified poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption and kidnapping as the real threats confronting Nigeria.
“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.
Atiku urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of Nigerians still held captive by kidnappers, noting that many families continue to await the return of abducted relatives.
“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 also called on the government to channel the same urgency it applies to political communication towards addressing insecurity and restoring public confidence in the nation's security architecture.
On the continued detention of El-Rufai, Atiku insisted that justice must be administered in accordance with constitutional principles and fairness 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 further challenged the government to respond transparently to matters of public concern instead of engaging in what he described as 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 democratic space in Nigeria, Atiku said history would 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.
The statement comes amid heightened political exchanges between the Presidency and opposition figures following Peter Obi's recent criticisms of the Tinubu administration.