At a democracy conference in Abuja, former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar warned that Nigeria’s democracy is at a dangerous crossroads.
He attributed the decline to state capture, judicial manipulation, and weakened electoral integrity, emphasizing the difficulty of removing those in power through democratic means.
Atiku called for urgent reforms, including democratizing party funding, enforcing consequences for electoral malpractice, and strengthening the judiciary to protect voters’ choices. He stressed that political parties must be independent and not controlled by wealthy individuals, advocating for party supremacy and adherence to rules.
He urged opposition parties to recognize the importance of coalition-building and mergers as essential strategies to effectively challenge the ruling APC and restore democratic governance. Atiku concluded by emphasizing the judiciary’s role in sustaining democracy and the need to curb judicial recklessness.
