Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) over remarks made by its publicity secretary, Felix Morka, about Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.

The controversy started when Obi, at his press conference on Thursday, the first day of the new year, expressed worries about the situation in Nigeria under Tinubu?s leadership.

Obi criticised the worsening political, economic, security, and healthcare conditions, describing the government?s claims of progress as inconsistent with the realities on the ground.

?Our national challenges are visibly worsening. Our nation and its fortunes are in clear reverse. The indices are clearly indicative of our decline; thus our national indices tell a disconcerting story,? Obi said.

Then Morka, in a recent interview, reportedly said, ?Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets.?

Responding to this, Atiku, in a statement shared on X on Tuesday, described Morka?s statement as inflammatory and reflective of a ?disturbing emblem of the current administration?s unsettling strategy in addressing opposition figures.?

?This threat against Obi, coupled with the prolonged detention of Mahdi Shehu, a prominent voice of dissent and others, signals a worrisome shift towards an authoritarian governance model, where the rights of opposition voices are being suffocated,? Atiku wrote.

Atiku said Morka?s choice of words, particularly the ominous suggestion that Obi has ?crossed the line,? reveals an alarming disdain for democratic principles.

He added that such language, rooted in hostility, has no place in a free society where civil discourse and engagement should reign supreme.

According to him, a true democracy thrives on the healthy exchange of ideas, where the criticisms and contributions of opposition leaders, like Peter Obi, are seen as vital for the betterment of governance and the promotion of public accountability.

He noted that ?It is not merely the right, but the solemn duty of a democratic government to listen attentively to the voices of its critics, to engage in meaningful dialogue, and to allow space for the articulation of alternative viewpoints.

?Instead, we are faced with a chilling threat that suggests Obi must ?be ready for whatever comes his way.? What, exactly, does Mr. Morka imply by this? It is imperative that the ruling party provides clarity on this disturbing insinuation.?

Equally troubling is the crude and disparaging manner in which the APC spokesperson has framed Peter Obi?s calls for constructive engagement, likening them to a lawless Wild West scenario, Atiku added.

He also stated that such reckless and derogatory expressions cannot be tolerated, and it is incumbent upon the APC to issue a formal apology to Obi and the Nigerian people for such disgraceful language.

?The case of Mallam Shehu, languishing in detention without any clear explanation for his continued imprisonment, adds to the growing concern about the erosion of freedoms in Nigeria. If there is anyone who has truly ?crossed the line,? it is the Tinubu administration, whose continuous vilification of opposition figures as mere irritants to be crushed is a dangerous precedent.?

Atiku called on the Bola Tinubu government to recalibrate its approach to dealing with dissent and opposition.

He added that the time has come to end this stifling of voices crucial to the health of any functioning democracy. (The Guardian)

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