Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that Nigeria is moving toward authoritarianism unless urgent reforms are taken.
He expressed concern over the country’s slow progress in fostering political inclusivity and ensuring free and fair elections.
Atiku disclosed this in a press statement on Monday in his message to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary.
While congratulating Nigerians, he also called for a collective effort to secure the democratic ideals envisioned by the nation’s founders.
“Our nation has traversed numerous tumultuous phases, yet the tenacity of patriotic citizens has fortified our resolve as a resilient entity,” the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku stated, acknowledging Nigeria’s long-standing democracy, the longest in the nation’s history.
He lamented that despite these democratic gains, the political landscape remains marred by exclusivity and manipulations that undermine electoral credibility.
“While democracy has anchored our institutions in the principles of the rule of law, we have yet to achieve satisfactory progress in fostering political inclusivity and ensuring elections that are genuinely free and fair,” Atiku remarked.
The former Vice President decried the weakening of opposition parties and the growing influence of the ruling party over the electoral process, warning that Nigeria risks sliding into a one-party dictatorship.
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