Osogbo, Osun state – The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating “a full-scale assault on the democratic process” in Nigeria.
Atiku said in Osun state, the APC ‘attempted to hijack the local government elections through brute force’.
The opposition leader said this via a tweet on Tuesday, February 18.
Recall the crisis in Osun stemmed from last Monday’s court of appeal judgment in Akure, Ondo state, which purportedly reinstated the APC-elected chairpersons and councillors who were sacked in 2022.
While the APC maintained that the judgment explicitly reinstated the local government officials, the state government argued that it did not restore them to office. However, attempts by some APC members to forcefully take over council secretariats led to violent clashes with PDP supporters who resisted the move, escalating tensions in several local government areas.
Similarly, in Lagos on the same day, operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed the state house of assembly complex where they tried to prevent members and speaker of the house, Mojisola Meranda, from entering the chamber for plenary. The scene caused tension in the Lagos assembly.
Asking Nigerians to resist, Atiku claimed that the APC ’has left no doubt that it will stop at nothing to subvert democracy and impose itself against the will of the people.’
He criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “and his dwindling band of enablers” to “cease their reckless acts of political sabotage — not just in Osun or Lagos, but across Nigeria”.
Atiku said:
“Had it not been for the fearless resistance of Osun people — who stood their ground against the APC’s rampaging foot soldiers — democracy in the state would have been trampled under the boots of political marauders acting at the behest of their party’s overlords.”
He continued:
“Let this be clear: Osun state will never bow to anti-democratic forces. The people have shown beyond doubt that they will not allow their electoral rights to be stolen, no matter the level of intimidation.
“We demand that security agencies deployed for Saturday’s elections uphold their constitutional duty with professionalism, refusing to be used as enforcers of APC’s criminal agenda. The world is watching.”
Atiku concluded:
“These are dangerous times. The APC has abandoned any pretence of democratic legitimacy, resorting instead to brute force in its bid to cling to power — even as the people have overwhelmingly rejected it.
“We commend the brave citizens of Osun for standing up to the tyranny that sought to break them. Their resilience is a beacon of hope in the face of unrelenting oppression.”
Osun crisis: Police vows justice
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Osun police command confirmed that six persons lost their lives in Monday’s skirmishes between members of the PDP and the APC over the battle for control of local government secretariats in the state.
