Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of steering Nigeria toward authoritarianism, alleging that the federal government is increasingly weaponising state institutions to intimidate political opponents and suppress dissent.
Atiku, who is also a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the allegation on Monday while reacting to what he described as a “state-sponsored siege” on the properties of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The former vice president claimed that the DSS sealed Malami’s residences and business premises shortly after he was visited by security operatives, despite the matter being subject to judicial proceedings.
He condemned the action as unlawful and politically motivated, describing it as evidence of a deliberate attempt to weaponise state power.
“This is not governance. This is intimidation. This is a regime weaponising state power to silence dissent,” Atiku was quoted as saying through his media office.
Atiku further alleged that the Tinubu administration is overseeing a systematic erosion of democratic norms, warning that Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous drift toward the collapse of opposition politics.
According to him, the alleged deployment of security agencies for political purposes reflects a broader pattern of state-sponsored intimidation aimed at weakening opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“What we are seeing is the naked abuse of powersecurity agencies deployed not for national security, but for settling political scores. This is how democracies die,” he said.
The former presidential candidate also accused the government of targeting prominent opposition figures, including former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and Malami, as part of a wider strategy to coerce political actors into aligning with the ruling party.
He alleged that opposition politicians were being pressured to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under threats of persecution.
“This is political extortion at the highest level—join us or be destroyed. That is the message being sent,” Atiku added.
Atiku warned that Nigeria risks becoming a one-party state if the alleged trend continues unchecked, arguing that the suppression of dissent could reduce elections to mere formalities.
“When opposition is criminalised and dissent is punished, elections become a mere formality. If this continues, Nigeria will be left with no meaningful political competition,” he said.
He drew parallels between the current political climate and past periods of military and authoritarian rule in Nigeria, referencing what he described as the failed self-succession attempt during the regime of the late General Sani Abacha.
“We have seen this script before. It ended in national disgrace. What is happening now is a dangerous replay,” he warned.
Atiku also accused the administration of using anti-corruption agencies as instruments of political coercion, alleging that elected officials were being pressured to defect to the ruling party.
“Governors and political leaders are being railroaded into the APC under threat of persecution. This is not politics—it is state capture,” he said.
He questioned the legitimacy of what he described as attempts to dominate Nigeria’s political landscape through force rather than democratic competition.
“No individual has the right to hijack the destiny of over 200 million Nigerians just to cling to power. Leadership is not ownership,” he stated.
In a strongly worded warning, Atiku said the alleged actions of the government amount to a “civilian coup” against democratic principles.
“Freedom of choice is the lifeblood of democracy. Once you kill it, dictatorship takes over. What Tinubu is engineering is nothing short of a civilian coup—denying Nigerians real options while pretending to run a democracy,” he added.
He maintained that a truly democratic leader should welcome competition rather than suppress it, insisting that Nigerians are closely watching developments in the country’s political space.
“A confident leader welcomes competition. Only a weak and insecure one fears it. This administration’s actions expose its fear—and Nigerians are watching,” Atiku said.
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