Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the reported violent attack on Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi, former All Progressives Congress National Chairman John Oyegun, ex-governor Oserheimen Osunbor, Olumide Akpata, and other Coalition ADC leaders in Benin City, Edo State.
In a statement he personally signed and accessed by The Newspad on Monday, Atiku said the development raises serious concerns about the worsening climate of political intolerance in the Country, warning that violence against opposition figures threatens Nigeria’s democratic stability.
The former Vice President, described the incident as unacceptable in a democratic society.
The former VP noted that recent “reckless and inflammatory rhetoric” allegedly emanating from elements within the ruling party in Edo State has created a dangerous atmosphere that could embolden attacks on political opponents.
According to him, inflammatory political language often precedes physical violence, stressing that the Benin incident should not be viewed in isolation.
The former vice president further warned that Nigeria appears to be entering a troubling phase where opposition voices are not only pressured through state institutions but are also exposed to physical threats.
Atiku accused the ruling APC of escalating “intolerance”, alleging a shift from bureaucratic suppression of dissent to “open aggression”.
He called on President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security chiefs to uphold their constitutional duty of protecting lives and property without bias.
“The safety of opposition leaders and supporters is not a favour; it is a democratic obligation,” Atiku stated, cautioning that Nigeria must not become a country where political disputes are resolved through violence.
It is really bad
This is a dastardly act