Atiku accused the federal government of undermining democratic institutions, weakening opposition parties, and fostering conditions that threaten free and fair elections ahead of 2027.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised what he described as growing attempts to weaken Nigeria's democracy, warning that short-term welfare gestures will not guarantee electoral victory for the ruling government in 2027.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, who is a leading figure in the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), said distributing food items such as rice and spaghetti cannot replace public trust at the ballot box.
He argued that Nigeria is witnessing a "deliberate and systematic consolidation of power" under President Bola Tinubu, raising concerns about the health of the country's democratic system.
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According to the statement, despite the ruling party's expanding political influence, reportedly drawing more than 30 state governors into its fold, the administration appears increasingly uneasy about open political competition.
"What is unfolding is not subtle; it is deliberate," Atiku said, questioning why a government with extensive control would still seek to "shrink the democratic space."
He listed what he described as the advantages already at the government's disposal, including control of state institutions, incumbency power, access to public resources, and what he termed favourable conditions within key democratic institutions.
Despite this, he said, there remains a "visible anxiety" about opposition forces and voters.
"Stomach infrastructure cannot substitute for public trust. Bags of rice, spaghetti, and indomie may offer temporary relief, but they cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot box. This attempt to reconfigure Nigeria to 'Rice-geria' will not help these urban bandits, it will end in shame," he said.
The former vice president also alleged that opposition parties have been weakened by internal crises, some of which he linked to conflicting judicial rulings that, he said, have created uncertainty rather than clarity in the political space.
He further raised concerns about electoral administration, claiming that certain decisions have fuelled perceptions of partiality, while also criticising what he described as the increasing use of detention orders against opposition figures.
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"These are not coincidences. They are signals," he said.
Atiku said several prominent politicians across party lines are operating in an increasingly constrained environment. He named figures such as Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Abubakar Malami, David Mark, and Rauf Aregbesola.
He warned that a democracy in which the ruling party accumulates overwhelming control while undermining opposition forces is "a democracy in distress."
Atiku reiterated his commitment to a system where leadership is determined by voters, not by institutional pressure or manipulated political conditions.
"Democracy must not be reduced to a managed process," he said, cautioning that Nigeria risks drifting towards a one-party state if current trends persist.
He urged citizens to remain vigilant as the 2027 general election approaches, insisting that the country deserves both transparency and genuine political choice.
