Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate, has publicly condemned the arrest and continued detention of outspoken social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement issued on Monday, April 5, Atiku labelled the arrest as yet another “blatant abuse of power” under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“The arrest and continued detention of Mr. Otse is a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights. This is yet another episode of political repression by a regime that has made silencing dissent its priority,” Atiku said.
VDM, a well-known critic of the current administration, was detained by the EFCC, but as of now, no formal charges have been filed against him.
Atiku emphasised that this kind of arbitrary detention is becoming all too common under the Tinubu government, which, according to him, is increasingly resorting to “authoritarian tactics” to suppress opposition.
A Pattern of Repression
Atiku’s statement highlights the growing concern over the state of democracy in Nigeria under the current government.
He pointed out that this incident is part of a wider pattern of political repression, particularly targeting dissenting voices and those critical of the ruling party.
“This is part of a disturbing pattern where the Tinubu regime continues to target individuals who speak truth to power or align with the opposition. The fundamental freedoms of Nigerians are under siege. We cannot allow state-sponsored repression to define our democracy,” Atiku said.
Atiku stressed that the administration’s use of state agencies, such as the EFCC, to suppress free speech and stifle political opposition is a dangerous development for Nigeria’s future.
A Call for Justice and Accountability
The former presidential candidate went on to address the double standards in the Tinubu administration’s approach to corruption and dissent.
Atiku criticised how political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption are often left unpunished, while opposition voices are relentlessly persecuted.
“While security agencies are quick to target critics and opposition figures, those with credible corruption allegations walk free because they exchange sycophantic loyalty for immunity,” Atiku stated.
Atiku’s call to resist such authoritarian tendencies serves as a rallying cry for the Nigerian people to stand firm against political oppression and to uphold the principles of democracy and justice.
“The systematic crackdown on opposition voices is disgraceful and must be fiercely condemned and resisted. This is an affront to the democratic norms that our country should hold dear,” Atiku concluded.