Atiku Warns FG: Nothing Must Happen to Peter Obi, Calls for Protection of Opposition
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to claims by his fellow contender in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, that his life is under threat.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku emphasized that the true measure of any democracy lies not in how comfortably those in power exercise authority, but in how safely those outside power can enjoy their constitutional rights.
He declared unequivocally: “Nothing must happen to Peter Obi.” Drawing on a Nigerian proverb, he warned that when the drums of injustice beat for a neighbour, one should not dance, for tomorrow they may beat for you.
Atiku called on the federal government to release Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai, secure the release of every abducted schoolchild and teacher, and bring home all innocent Nigerians still held by kidnappers. He urged leaders to stop chasing political opponents and start confronting the crises that are bleeding the nation.
He added that history will not remember how fiercely a government fought its critics, but whether it protected its citizens, upheld justice, rescued the vulnerable, and preserved the democracy entrusted to its care.
The former Vice President stressed that the safety of every opposition leader is a constitutional obligation of the Nigerian state and a litmus test of its democratic credentials. “An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is weakened. When a citizen fears for his life because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” the statement read.
Atiku urged the Presidency to respond to criticism with composure, statesmanship, facts and responsible conduct—not with insults. He argued that democracies are strengthened by reasoned engagement, not by invective, and that a government that answers every critique with abuse projects insecurity rather than confidence.
He insisted that the opposition is not Nigeria’s enemy; the real enemies are poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption, kidnapping, and the daily bloodletting across communities. A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance.
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