Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the Tinubu administration against militarising the Osun governorship election or deploying state institutions for partisan advantage.
Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja, Atiku described Osun as a test of Nigeria’s ability to conduct credible elections ahead of the next general election.
He said the scale and posture of security deployment around the election appeared more like preparations for war than a civil democratic exercise.
Atiku said, “Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents.”
He questioned why similar security capacity was not being deployed against terrorists, kidnappers and bandits attacking communities across the country.
The former vice president also warned INEC against what he described as “mysterious glitches, unexplained delays or manipulation,” demanding the timely delivery of electoral materials, unhindered voting, transparent counting and transmission of results.
Atiku said the police, military and INEC belong to Nigerians and not to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He also raised fresh questions over the certificate President Bola Tinubu submitted to INEC, citing reported discrepancies between documents linked to Chicago State University.
Atiku invoked Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, which provides for disqualification where a presidential candidate presents a forged certificate to INEC, and called for authentication of the exact document submitted by Tinubu.
On youth participation, Atiku pledged that at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under his political programme would be below 40, with a significant number below 30.
He urged young Nigerians to register, organise and participate actively in politics, saying, “Your time is not tomorrow. Your time is now.”
