The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of allegedly pursuing a political strategy aimed at either controlling the outcome of the 2027 elections or weakening Nigeria’s democratic system.
Atiku made the allegation in response to a recent controversy involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who reportedly denied the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) access to a public event facility in Abuja for a political gathering.
In a statement issued through the Atiku Media Office on Saturday, he described the action as an abuse of authority and an infringement on constitutional rights, particularly the freedom of association and peaceful assembly guaranteed under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
He argued that public facilities—whether government-owned or private—should remain accessible to all political parties regardless of affiliation, and accused the FCT administration of acting in a partisan manner.
Atiku further claimed that the incident reflects a broader pattern of what he described as political interference by the Tinubu-led administration, allegedly aimed at limiting the activities of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, similar challenges were experienced by the ADC during its own national activities, suggesting what he called a growing trend of restricting opposition space in the country.
He warned that such actions could set a dangerous precedent capable of undermining democratic institutions, the rule of law, and the credibility of future elections in Nigeria.
Atiku also described President Tinubu as being intolerant of political competition, alleging that state institutions were being used to tilt the political environment in favour of the ruling party.
He called on the FCT Minister to immediately reverse the decision and urged civil society groups, democratic stakeholders, and Nigerians at large to resist what he termed creeping authoritarianism.
The statement concluded that Nigeria’s democracy must be protected through fairness, equal political participation, and strict adherence to constitutional principles.
