Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the upcoming Osun governorship election, cautioning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security forces against favoring the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with state resources.
Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit, Atiku characterized the approaching election as a crucial test of Nigeria’s democratic principles. He expressed his unease over the extensive security presence, equating a civil electoral process to a military operation. “Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets,” he stated.
He questioned the justification for deploying significant security forces for the election while local communities remain vulnerable to threats from terrorists and bandits. Advocating for timely distribution of materials and uninterrupted voting, he urged INEC to avoid technical issues that could disenfranchise voters.
Atiku emphasized, “The police belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC.” He underscored the importance of the Osun election as an indicator of the country’s commitment to conducting credible general elections, urging agencies to honor the popular will.
Additionally, Atiku revisited discussions regarding President Bola Tinubu’s credentials submitted to INEC, highlighting discrepancies surrounding the certificate from Chicago State University. He called for transparency, insisting that public officials should adhere to the same accountability standards as citizens.
On youth engagement, Atiku pledged that his political platform would ensure at least 30 percent of legislative candidates would be under 40 years old, encouraging young citizens to move beyond social media outrage to active political engagement.
