Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of employing repressive tactics aimed at suppressing opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku, speaking through his media aide AbdurRashid Shehu Sharada, described the trend as a “calculated assault,” citing several incidents—including the police invitation extended to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, an attack on a former Minister of Justice in Kebbi State, and the disruption of an opposition elders’ meeting in Katsina led by Usman Bugaje—as attempts to weaken emerging opposition platforms such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He raised alarm over a particularly troubling incident: despite ADC supporters being attacked in Kaduna, no arrests were made. Instead, key opposition leaders—including El-Rufai—were summoned for questioning. This, Atiku suggested, represents a misuse of law enforcement to intimidate dissenting voices.
In response, President Tinubu’s spokesperson Abdul’Aziz Abdul’Aziz dismissed the allegations, insisting that there is no government-backed clampdown on opposition actors. He defended the police invitation to El-Rufai as a reaction to inflammatory statements and reports of armed supporters at the event, and denied government involvement in incidents from Kebbi and Katsina.
