The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to emulate former presidents by avoiding attempts to weaken political competition in the country.
Atiku made the remarks on Saturday while reacting to moves reportedly aimed at deregistering the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) through court action.
He argued that both former President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Muhammadu Buhari never engaged in deregistering opposition parties during their time in office.
According to him, restricting opposition parties undermines democratic values and could damage public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“Former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari never deregistered opposition political parties. Copy and learn from them,” Atiku said.
He added that any government confident in its performance should not fear free and fair competition, stressing that popular leadership is best tested at the ballot box.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.