By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has warned against any further attempts by the All Progressive Congress-led Federal Government to distabilise opposition parties in the country ahead of the 2027.
Atiku vowed that all lawful measures will be deployed to resist moves to deregister the ADC and or undermine its activities
Abubakar who spoke at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja after his emergence as the. presidential candidate of the opposition Coalition platform,also warned against what he described as the persistent interference in the affairs of opposition parties by the Federal Government, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Judiciary.
In his message to party members and supporters, Abubakar noted that the successful conduct of the primaries’ signaled the resurgence of the ADC as a virile opposition Coalition platform despite all attempts by the presidency to disrupt and suppress its activities.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled ,and squashed by the ruling party ,and its oppressive, and anti-democratic Government , democracy is alive ,and well in the African Democratic Congress” he stated .
The former Vice president pointedly accused the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of being pre-occupied and obsessed with the agenda to hold down ,and or completely vanquish opposition parties in the country.
He expressed serious concern that virtually all opposition parties are presently reeling from one Government inflicted crisis or the another .
Similarly , Abubakar noted that the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Tinubu has dangerously weaponized state instruments of power and institutions against opposition parties and their leaders , while at the same time turning a blind eye to cases of manifest heists by APC members and sympathizers.
Referencing the continued detention of the former Kaduna state Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Vice president regretted the unprecedented clampdown on opposition voices ,all aimed at fostering on the country a one party system.
According to him, corruption cases both real and phantom are being used to coerced opposition figures into joining the APC , while those who resist are marked out for persecution.
He however, warned that the ADC ,will fiercely resist any further attempts to disrupt its activities ,and unjustly harass its members .” Enough is enough” he declared.
“As I speak , virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crises engineered by the APC Government ,the INEC ,and elements in the judiciary .
“Under this Government ,once a persi Joins the APC ,the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear” Abubakar noted.
The ADC presidential candidate , however appealed for unity , peace and understanding within the ranks of the opposition.
Particularly, he called on his co-contestants – Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen ,and other aggrieved members of the party to sheath their swords and join forces so as to confront the battle ahead.
” This is not the time to celebrate . No one was defeated because we are one party ,and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment.
” In particular, I invite Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi ,and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy ,and our country” Abubakar stated .
The sources reports that the returning officer Senator Tunde Ogbeha had declared Abubakar winner of the primaries’ , with a total of 1,846,370 votes as against 507,117 ,votes and 177,120 votes garnered by Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen respectively.
Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen however , announced had before the official announcement of the results , rejected the outcome citing widespread manipulations and irregularities as some of the reasons for their action.
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