Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that nothing must happen to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

Atiku, who is also the African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 presidential candidate, stated that the safety of every opposition leader is a constitutional obligation of the Nigerian state and a test of its democratic credentials.

The former Vice President, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, noted that the true measure of any democracy is not how comfortably those in power wield authority, but how safely those outside power can exercise their constitutional rights.

Obi had raised the alarm on Wednesday over the harassment of opposition leaders, stating that he might not be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election. Meanwhile, El-Rufai, who is standing trial over various allegations, is currently being detained by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Atiku expressed concern “over the Presidency’s decision to respond to Mr. Peter Obi’s public comments with personal insults and derogatory language rather than the restraint expected of a democratic government.”

According to him, reducing political engagement to name-calling demeans the Office of the President and risks inflaming an already tense political atmosphere.

Atiku admonished the Federal Government to devote the same urgency it deploys in political communication to rescuing every Nigerian held captive and restoring public confidence in national security.

“There are schoolchildren and teachers still waiting to be reunited with their families. There are countless innocent Nigerians languishing in the camps of kidnappers. These are the emergencies that deserve the full machinery of government—not endless political sparring with opposition figures.”

The ADC candidate renewed his call for the immediate release of El-Rufai, stating that justice derives its moral authority from fairness, impartiality, and fidelity to the Constitution.

“The continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has generated widespread public concern. Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, is entitled to due process, equal protection under the law and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court. Justice must never create the appearance of selective application,” he stated.