Phrank Shaibu, spokesperson to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of undermining democratic competition despite the ruling party’s dominance.
In a statement, Shaibu alleged that “Nigeria’s democracy is being systematically weakened by a dangerous consolidation of power under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” adding that “what is unfolding is not subtle—it is deliberate.”
He noted that with over 30 governors aligned with the ruling party, the administration should show confidence, but instead there is “a growing pattern of actions that suggest not strength but fear—fear of credible opposition, fear of free competition, and fear of the Nigerian voter.”
Shaibu questioned why such political control still comes with restrictions on democratic space, stating that the government already wields “the security architecture, the advantage of incumbency, access to the national treasury… and a pliable electoral environment.”
He added that despite this dominance, there is “visible anxiety about the opposition and, more importantly, about the Nigerian people.”
“Because deep down, they know this truth: stomach infrastructure cannot substitute for public trust,” he said.
“Bags of rice, spaghetti, and Indomie may offer temporary relief, but they cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot box.”
Shaibu further warned that attempts to reshape the system would fail, saying, “This attempt to reconfigure Nigeria to ‘Rice-geria’ will not help these urban bandits; it will end in shame.”
He also alleged that opposition parties are being weakened by internal crises worsened by “conflicting and questionable judicial interventions,” noting that figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others are operating in a “visibly constrained” political space.
“This is not how a healthy democracy functions,” he said, warning that Nigeria risks sliding into a one-party state.
Shaibu reaffirmed Atiku’s stance, saying he remains committed to “a Nigeria where leadership is determined by the will of the people—not by pressure on institutions… and certainly not by crass and reckless detention orders on opposition leaders.”