2027: Rice cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot, Atiku tells Tinubu 

In a statement regarding the 2027 elections, former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar cautioned President Bola Tinubu that relying on temporary aid measures won’t lead to electoral success.

Atiku’s remarks, shared on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, emphasized that distributing basic food items like rice and spaghetti fails to establish public trust or influence election results.

He stated, “While bags of rice, spaghetti, and Indomie may provide momentary assistance, they cannot guarantee legitimacy at the ballot box.”

He expressed concerns about the Tinubu administration’s concentration of power, arguing that mere political control does not equate to public trust.

He noted, “As more than 30 state governors align with the ruling party, Nigerians are seeing a troubling pattern of actions stemming not from strength, but from fear—fear of genuine opposition, fear of free competition, and fear of the electorate.”

Atiku pointed out the unease stemming from governmental control over essential institutions, asserting that despite their dominance, there remains significant anxiety regarding both the opposition and the populace.

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He criticized attempts to weaken opposition parties through judicial actions, stating that legal processes have often caused confusion and ambiguity rather than clarity, alongside a troubling trend of aggressive detentions of opposition leaders.

Warning against a potential move towards a one-party system, Atiku cautioned, “If this trend continues, Nigeria risks evolving into a state where elections are merely a facade and actual competition is stifled.”

He concluded by urging Nigerians to protect their democratic rights, insisting, “Leadership should never be so secure that it avoids contestation. Why is a government with such extensive control still fearful of allowing free and fair elections? Nigerians deserve answers, and they deserve a real choice.”