Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubukar, has condemned the attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, in Ekiti State by thugs and the governorship candidate of the ADC, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya in Sokoto State.
The former vice president said that the attacks had exposed the ruling APC administration preparedness to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters
In a statement, he signed, Atiku said: ”The simultaneous attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, are deeply troubling and unacceptable.”
According to the ADC presidential candidate, ”these twin assaults expose the extent to which the ruling APC administration is prepared to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters.
”It is particularly disturbing that while President Bola Tinubu is away on spiritual pilgrimage, political enforcers and thugs loyal to his party are unleashing terror on his political opponents at home. These two realities cannot coexist in a democracy.
”The continued attacks on opposition figures and the unexplained disappearance of critical social media influencers are clear red flags of a dangerous slide toward a censored state where the opposition is crushed by the brute force of the current government.”
He said that these incidents are unbecoming of any democratic government and starkly reveal the desperation of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
According, the ADC presidential candidate said, ”We therefore demand immediate and transparent investigations into both attacks. The Tinubu government must refrain from any attempt to muzzle the opposition and must guarantee a free, fair, and competitive contest in the forthcoming general elections.
”I have it on good authority that a local security outfit in Sokoto State has been harassing ADC supporters, manhandling citizens simply for wearing ADC merchandise.
”We shall resist every ongoing attempt to cancel political opposition in Nigeria. The ruling APC has failed in its mandate. Nigerians must be allowed to freely participate in an electoral contest that will determine the fate of this administration,” the former vice president stated.