‘Nothing must happen to Peter Obi’– Atiku warns Tinubu govt over opposition leader’s safety

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned the Federal Government against any action that could endanger opposition figures, declaring that Peter Obi’s safety is a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state while calling for the immediate release of detained former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Atiku Abubakar has drawn a clear line in the sand — and placed Peter Obi squarely behind it.

The former Vice President and ADC 2027 presidential candidate issued a pointed warning to the Federal Government on Thursday, declaring that the safety of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi is a constitutional obligation of the Nigerian state — not a political favour.

“Nothing must happen to Peter Obi. An injury to one is an injury to all. When one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished. When one citizen begins to fear because of his political beliefs, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” Atiku said in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

According to The Punch, Atiku accused the Presidency of responding to Obi’s recent safety concerns with personal attacks rather than statesmanship, arguing that democratic governance demands composure under criticism.

“The presidency must understand that democratic leadership demands composure, not contempt. A government that answers every criticism with abuse projects insecurity, not confidence,” he said.

The former vice president also called for the immediate release of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that every Nigerian is entitled to due process, presumption of innocence and equal protection under the law regardless of political affiliation.

“Justice must never create the appearance of selective application,” he warned.

Atiku further reframed the entire political confrontation, arguing the government had fundamentally misidentified its enemies.

“The opposition is not the enemy of Nigeria. Poverty is the enemy. Hunger is the enemy. Insecurity is the enemy. Corruption is the enemy. Kidnapping is the enemy. A government that devotes more energy to attacking its critics than confronting these existential challenges has confused political survival with the purpose of governance,” he stated.

He also urged the government to direct the same energy spent on political communication toward rescuing schoolchildren and Nigerians still held in kidnappers’ captivity across the country.