Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the police summoning of Nasir El-Rufai and leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna, including the brazen attack on former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum meeting on security reforms.

In a statement, Atiku said the cases are not isolated incidents. "Instead, they signify a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy," he said.

He also stated that they highlight a troubling trend towards authoritarianism under the Tinubu administration.

"It is important to emphasise that dissent is vital to democracy. Criminalising opposition, attacking reformist voices, and undermining peaceful civic engagement erode the foundations of our Republic. No government that resorts to intimidation and uses security agencies as weapons against perceived opponents can genuinely uphold democratic principles."

Without a doubt, he said, Nigeria is dangerously close to slipping into authoritarian rule if these patterns of repression continue unabated. "We cannot afford to return to an era marked by fear, silence, and impunity.

"I urge all Nigerians, both statesmen and citizens, to recognise the urgency of this moment. Defending our democracy cannot be the sole responsibility of the opposition; it is a collective national duty. Power is transient, but history will harshly judge those who wield it against the people instead of in their service.

"Nigeria belongs to all of us, not just the ruling party or any single individual. We must not allow the principles of liberty, justice, and the rule of law to be undermined by partisan desperation. -AA"

ASA