Nigeria’s democratic institutions are being steadily eroded under President Bola Tinubu, according to a statement issued by the opposition camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In the statement, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, accused the administration of deliberately narrowing Nigeria’s democratic space through an aggressive consolidation of power.
Shaibu argued that with more than 30 state governors reportedly aligned with the ruling party, the expectation would be a more open political environment.
Instead, he claimed the country is experiencing increasing hostility towards opposition voices and genuine electoral competition.
According to the statement, the federal government already enjoys extensive institutional advantages, including control of the security architecture, access to national resources and the benefits of incumbency, yet continues to display what Shaibu described as “anxiety about the opposition and the Nigerian people.”
He criticised what he termed “stomach infrastructure politics,” insisting that short-term welfare gestures cannot substitute for public trust or democratic legitimacy.
“Bags of rice, spaghetti and indomie may offer temporary relief, but they cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot box,” Shaibu said, warning that such tactics would ultimately fail.
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The statement also alleged that opposition parties are being weakened by internal crises, which Shaibu claimed have been worsened by conflicting court rulings and judicial inconsistencies.
He further questioned the electoral administration, alleging decisions that increasingly create perceptions of bias in favour of the ruling party.
Shaibu accused the government of resorting to detention orders against opposition figures, warning that such measures pose a direct threat to civil liberties and democratic norms.
He cited several prominent political figures, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abubakar Malami, Nasir El-Rufai, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, as operating within what he described as an increasingly restrictive political environment.
Shaibu warned that a system in which one party dominates while opposition structures are weakened risks sliding into “a one-party state in all but name.”
Reaffirming Atiku Abubakar’s position, the statement said Nigeria’s leadership must be determined by the will of voters rather than institutional pressure or alleged manipulation.
“As 2027 approaches, the question is no longer abstract: why is a government with such vast control still afraid of a free and fair election?” Shaibu asked.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant, stressing that democratic accountability and political competition are essential to the country’s future.