Democracy Under Threat Began with Atiku, Not Tinubu — APC’s Okechukwu

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress APC, Osita Okechukwu, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of contributing to the weakening of Nigeria’s democracy through what he described as “Kasuwa Ndollar” presidential primaries.

Okechukwu made the claim on Sunday while reacting to Atiku’s recent warning that Nigeria’s democracy is facing an existential threat due to the alleged deliberate weakening of opposition parties by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement, the former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria urged Atiku to engage in deeper self-reflection, arguing that the former vice president’s actions played a key role in the current challenges facing the opposition and the democratic process.

According to Okechukwu, a more honest introspection would reveal how Nigeria’s democracy slipped into what he described as a “sordid state” following Atiku’s decision to breach the zoning and rotation convention during the 2023 presidential election.

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He argued that Atiku’s insistence on contesting the presidency, despite the rotation principle, destabilised the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and weakened internal cohesion within the opposition.

“Atiku is at it again with his insistence on Kasuwa Ndollar presidential primary election,” Okechukwu said. “Nothing that non-adherence to the rotation convention and Section 7 of the PDP Constitution contributed significantly to the destabilisation of PDP and the alleged one-party state.”

Okechukwu maintained that the crisis within the PDP did not begin under the current administration but was triggered by internal decisions taken ahead of the 2023 general election, particularly the abandonment of long-standing party conventions meant to promote balance and inclusion.

He also dismissed claims that the Tinubu-led government is intentionally undermining opposition parties, insisting that opposition instability is largely self-inflicted.

The APC chieftain warned that continued reliance on money-driven primaries and disregard for internal democratic rules could further erode public trust in political parties and democratic institutions.

Okechukwu called on political leaders to prioritise party constitutions, internal democracy, and fairness if Nigeria’s democracy is to be strengthened and public confidence restored.