Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned that the safety of opposition leaders is a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian government, declaring that “nothing must happen to Peter Obi” while renewing his call for the release of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the strength of any democracy is measured not by how those in power exercise authority but by how safely those outside government can enjoy their constitutional rights.
He warned against what he described as the intimidation of opposition figures, insisting that democracy is endangered when citizens fear persecution because of their political beliefs.
“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.
The former vice president also urged the Federal Government to release El-Rufai, arguing that every Nigerian is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court.
Atiku expressed concern over the Presidency’s response to recent comments by Obi, saying it resorted to personal attacks instead of the restraint expected of a democratic government.
According to him, responding to criticism with insults diminishes the dignity of the Presidency and risks heightening political tensions.
“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,” he said.
Atiku maintained that political opponents should not be treated as enemies of the state, stressing that the country’s real challenges are poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption and kidnapping.
“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,” he said.
He lamented that many Nigerians remain in captivity while families continue to await the return of abducted relatives, including schoolchildren and teachers.
“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 said.
Atiku urged the Federal Government to prioritise the rescue of kidnapped Nigerians and restore public confidence in national security.
He also renewed his call for the immediate release of El-Rufai, insisting that justice must be administered fairly and without any appearance of selective application.
“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,” he said.
The former vice president further called on the government to address public concerns through transparency and accountability rather than engaging in political confrontations.
He added that history would judge governments not by how aggressively they confronted critics but by whether they protected citizens, upheld justice, rescued the vulnerable and preserved democratic institutions.
