Atiku Abubakar cautions the Presidency to ensure Peter Obi's safety and well-being at all costs.

Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2027 election, has cautioned the Federal Government against taking any actions that could put the lives of opposition leaders at risk.

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Specifically, Atiku emphasized that ensuring the safety of Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi is a constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian state, and that every Nigerian, regardless of their political affiliation, is entitled to due process and equal protection under the law.

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In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku stressed that democracy can only thrive in an environment where opposition figures are free to exercise their constitutional rights without fear or intimidation.

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Atiku argued that the strength of any democratic system should be measured by the level of protection afforded to those outside of power, rather than the powers enjoyed by those in government, and warned that when one opposition leader is intimidated, every opposition voice is diminished.

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He expressed concern over the presidency's response to Peter Obi's recent public comments, saying that the government should address issues raised by opposition figures with restraint and facts, rather than personal attacks, and that political criticism should not be treated as hostility against the state.

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Atiku stated that democratic leadership demands composure, not contempt, and that when a citizen, particularly an opposition figure, voices concerns about the state of the nation or their personal safety, the first duty of government is to reassure through statesmanship, facts, and responsible conduct.

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He further accused the government of focusing more on political battles than addressing the country's pressing security and economic challenges, and maintained that the real threats confronting Nigeria remain widespread poverty, hunger, insecurity, corruption, and kidnapping.

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Atiku urged the Federal Government to prioritize efforts to rescue Nigerians still in captivity, noting that many families continue to wait for the return of relatives abducted by criminal gangs, and that these are the emergencies that deserve the full machinery of government.

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He also urged the government to devote the same level of urgency it applies to political communication towards tackling insecurity and restoring public confidence in the nation's security architecture, and to respond transparently to issues of public concern instead of engaging in needless political distractions.

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Atiku challenged the government to release former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, saying that justice must be guided by fairness and constitutional principles rather than political considerations, and that every Nigerian is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

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Warning against the shrinking of Nigeria's democratic space, Atiku said that history would ultimately judge governments by how well they protected citizens, upheld justice, and defended democratic institutions, rather than by how aggressively they confronted political opponents.

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Atiku's statement comes amid heightened political exchanges between the presidency and opposition figures following recent criticisms of the Tinubu administration by Peter Obi, and ongoing debates over the treatment of opposition politicians and concerns about the state of democratic freedoms, political tolerance, and adherence to due process in the country.

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Recall that Peter Obi had claimed in a recent interview with Chude Jideonwo that he might not be alive to contest the 2027 polls, even as he accused the Tinubu-led government of targeting his business concerns, and that the Federal Government has consistently maintained that its actions are guided by the rule of law.