Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the reported attack in Ekiti State on Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, as well as a separate incident involving supporters of the African Democratic Congress in Sokoto State.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, Atiku called the incidents “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress of intimidating opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former vice president also urged that the incidents be investigated promptly and transparently, alleging that political enforcers and thugs loyal to the ruling party were targeting opposition leaders and their supporters.
“The continued attacks on opposition figures and the unexplained disappearance of critical social media influencers are clear red flags of a dangerous slide toward a censored state where the opposition is crushed by the brute force of the current government,” Atiku said.
Sowore and the Ekiti State Police Command gave conflicting accounts of an incident at a restaurant in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.
The AAC presidential candidate alleged that he and his associates were attacked by government-sponsored thugs, while the police stated that their operatives rescued him following an altercation with some individuals at the restaurant.
According to police spokesperson Sunday Abutu, Sowore suffered a minor injury and was taken to the Police Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for treatment.
The state Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, later ordered an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify those involved.
In Sokoto, the ADC governorship candidate, Manir Dan’iya, had condemned an alleged attack on members of the party’s women’s wing during a rally on Wednesday.
Dan’iya alleged that the procession, which involved roughly 5,000 women and youths, was disrupted by suspected APC supporters, leaving several women injured, vehicles damaged, and valuables stolen.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed it received reports of the confrontation and sent officers to the scene, adding that it was investigating the incident.
However, an APC chieftain in the state, Bajare, rejected claims that his party was behind the attack, while another party chieftain, Abubakar Bashar, also denied that APC members attacked ADC supporters.
Reacting to the incidents, Atiku alleged that the attacks revealed how far the Tinubu administration was willing to go to intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters.
He also expressed concerns over what he described as the unexplained disappearance of key social media influencers, warning of a possible drift towards a censored state.
“I have it on good authority that a local security outfit in Sokoto State has been harassing ADC supporters, manhandling citizens simply for wearing ADC merchandise,” Atiku said.
He urged the Federal Government to refrain from attempts to silence opposition voices and guarantee a free, fair, and competitive electoral process in 2027.
“We shall resist every ongoing attempt to cancel political opposition in Nigeria. The ruling APC has failed in its mandate. Nigerians must be allowed to freely participate in an electoral contest that will determine the fate of this administration,” he added.
