Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria, has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s administration following the prosecution of Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, and the arrest of Prof Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Atiku characterized the actions against Sowore and Yusuf, including Yusuf’s January 28, 2025 arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N4 billion fraud, as part of a broader pattern of “systematic harassment and intimidation” of government critics.
In a statement on his official X handle on January 30, 2025, Atiku described the prosecution of Sowore as without merit, warning that Tinubu’s administration could soon imprison anyone who voices opposition. The 2023 presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of targeting opposition figures and dismantling opposition parties in an attempt to establish a one-party state.
Atiku wrote, “When I raised the alarm about Tinubu and the APC focusing on harassing, intimidating, and dismantling the opposition for their grand design of a one-party autocracy, I became the target of vicious attacks. The arrest and baseless prosecution of @YeleSowore is the latest chapter in this unrelenting campaign. Now, they have added Professor Usman Yusuf—an outspoken critic of this administration—to their list. At this rate, it seems they may soon imprison all of us.”
Atiku’s remarks support his earlier claims that the APC is undermining opposition parties in an effort to dominate Nigeria’s political landscape. He also alleged during a recent conference in Abuja that the APC bribed opposition party leaders with N50 million to weaken their influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
His comments have sparked reactions from opposition parties. Both the Labour Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have demanded that Atiku provide evidence to back his allegations.
