Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the violent attack on Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and other coalition leaders in Benin, Edo State, describing the incident as “utterly condemnable and unacceptable in any democracy.”
Those reportedly affected in the attack include former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun; former Edo State Governor, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor; and former governorship candidate Olumide Akpata, among other leaders of the Coalition ADC.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Atiku said recent political developments in Edo State reflect a disturbing trend of reckless and inflammatory rhetoric allegedly emanating from elements within the ruling party. He warned that such rhetoric, when weaponised, can legitimise violence against political opponents.
“Words, when weaponised, often precede actions. What happened in Benin did not occur in a vacuum,” he stated.
The former vice-president expressed concern that Nigeria appears to be entering what he described as a perilous phase, where opposition voices face not only institutional harassment but physical attacks. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of escalating intolerance from bureaucratic suppression to open aggression.
Atiku called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the nation’s security chiefs to uphold their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property without discrimination or partisanship.
“The safety of opposition leaders and supporters is not a favour; it is a democratic obligation,” he said.
He cautioned against allowing the country’s political space to degenerate into violence, stressing that democratic competition must never be settled through force.
