Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s government not to toy with the temptation of deploying security agencies to intimidate opposition figures in the country.
Atiku gave the warning on Monday in a series of posts via his verified handle on X (formerly Twitter), @atiku.
This is just as the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party reminded the Federal Government that opposition voices strengthen rather than weaken democracy in the country.
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The tweets read in parts, “The principles of democracy are principles that we have lived by and which we have seen some of our closest associates die for. The ruling All Progressives Congress must refrain from any attempts to use our security agencies to harass or illegally detain any member or voice of the political opposition – and this call is not here limited to only members of my political party, but indeed all opposition voices including the many individuals across the internet who speak up only to seek a better country.
“The recent revelations suggesting potential suppression of voices and trumped-up allegations against opposition figures are deeply troubling. A vibrant democracy thrives not when dissent is silenced but when it is listened to, even if it makes those in authority uncomfortable.
“The bedrock of any thriving democratic society is its ability to protect and respect contrarian viewpoints. Such viewpoints ensure that governance remains transparent and that power is not concentrated in the hands of a few. Arresting or silencing members of the opposition based on contrived charges is not only an affront to the principles of democracy but also a grave injustice to the very people who rely on the system for representation and justice. The government must avoid the temptation of conceding to the agenda of anti-democratic forces,” Atiku noted.
