Tinubu is showing his true colors, trying to deregister opposition party, says Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to dismantle Nigeria's democracy by plotting to deregister the Nigeria Democratic Congress. Abubakar warned that such a move, if successful through judicial means, could pave the way for a one-party state and weaken political opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.

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Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but his body language and the sinister activities of his agents contradict his mouthed commitment to free and fair elections.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Abubakar described the alleged plot as evidence of the administration's determination to suppress dissent. He argued that any effort to restrict political competition or limit citizens' choices at the ballot box poses a serious threat to democratic governance and national stability. "Nigerians are now seeing the true colours of President Tinubu, who pretends to be a democrat, but his body language and the sinister activities of his agents contradict his mouthed commitment to free and fair elections," he said.

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Participation of citizens in a free, fair and credible poll is the soul of democracy, and any attempt to stifle such freedom of choice could be a trigger to chaos and anarchy.

The former vice president stressed that the right of citizens to participate in free, fair, and credible elections is the foundation of democratic rule. He urged President Tinubu to emulate former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, neither of whose administrations sought to deregister opposition parties. "If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of a free and fair competition," Abubakar stated.

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If you’re truly popular and your policies have positively bettered the lives of the citizens, you shouldn’t be afraid of a free and fair competition.

Abubakar also accused Tinubu of abandoning the democratic ideals he once championed during Nigeria's military era. "Tinubu cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for," he said. He called on the judiciary to resist political pressure and protect the integrity of the courts, warning that judicial institutions must not be used as tools for partisanship.

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Tinubu cannot be a champion of democracy under military dictatorship and now become the worst enemy of everything that democracy stands for.