In response to Felix Morka, the APC’s publicity secretary, making disparaging remarks about Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, and the fact that prominent activist Mahdi Shehu is still detained, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar delivered a fierce attack on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he views as an alarming pattern of silencing opposition voices.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Abubakar said in a statement through his verified X handle that Obi had “crossed the line,” and that this was a shocking indication that the government doesn’t respect democratic principles.
He said the language was “rooted in hostility” and didn’t belong in a society that values free speech and polite conversation. “A true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders are seen as vital for public accountability,” he said.
He also said that the APC was wrong to use insulting language to describe Obi’s calls for constructive involvement, comparing them to a situation where there are no rules. He told the ruling party to officially say sorry to Obi and the people of Nigeria for what he called “reckless and disgraceful language.” The former vice president was also very worried about Mahdi Shehu, a strong foe of the government who has been jailed without a clear reason.
Abubakar said that these kinds of actions are a risky step towards authoritarian rule, in which people who disagree with the government are silenced instead of being involved. He said, “If anyone has truly “crossed the line,” it is the Tinubu administration, which calls out opposition leaders over and over again as annoyances that need to be stomped on.” Abubakar asked Nigerians and people around the world to step in and tell the Tinubu government that the way it handles protests needs to be changed.
He stressed how important it was to protect the freedoms that make a democracy work and warned against stifling the voices of those who disagree. “This bad trend needs to stop now.” Abubakar came to the conclusion that it is not only the right thing for a democratic government to do, but also its solemn job to listen to its critics, have meaningful conversations, and let other points of view grow.
His comments have caused a lot of discussion, and many people are calling for the APC to be more accountable and for Nigeria to recommit itself to democratic values.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
