Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, Paul Ibeh has accused Bola Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission chairman, Amupitan, of attempting to weaken Nigeria’s opposition and subvert democracy.
The remarks follow INEC’s freezing of David Mark’s leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Posting on X, Ibeh claimed that presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga indicated that Nafiu Bala had become ADC national chairman, a move he said was orchestrated by Tinubu and INEC. He questioned the shift, noting that INEC had previously challenged Bala’s eligibility in court.
Ibeh warned of a drift toward authoritarianism, describing the situation as a “democratic faux pas,” and likened it to past political developments in Nigeria.
He wrote: “Bayo Onanuga is posting on his X account that Nafiu Bala is now the ADC Chairman because his Tinubu’s @NGRPresident and Amupitan’s @inecnigeria are in bed with Bala to annihilate the opposition and inevitably subvert Nigeria’s democracy. This is the same INEC that filed processes in court last year to show cause why Bala is not deserving of the Chairmanship of the ADC. What has changed since then? Tinubu and Amupitan are the ones cooking up the democratic faux pas. Our message to them is that this dictatorship may live, but not for very long. Does this remind you of another era in our recent history?”