Thursday, August 13, 2026 - Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and the Federal Government against deploying state resources to unfairly favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Osun governorship election.
Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit, Atiku
described the upcoming poll as a pivotal test of Nigeria’s democratic
integrity, warning that an overwhelming security deployment risks framing a
civil exercise like a military operation. Emphasizing the democratic nature of
elections, he stressed.
“Elections
are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets.
Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents.”
He questioned the rationale behind mobilizing massive
security capacity for an election while local communities continue to face
persistent threats from terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers. Demanding timely
distribution of materials, uninterrupted voting, accurate collation, and
transparent transmission of results, he cautioned INEC against technical
glitches, unexplainable delays, or administrative opacity that could
disenfranchise voters. Reminding state institutions of their fundamental duty
to the public, he declared.
“The police
belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the
Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC.”
He noted that the conduct of the Osun poll will serve as a
key indicator of the nation's readiness to deliver credible general elections,
calling on all involved agencies to respect the popular will.
“The world
is watching Osun. Nigerians are watching. History is taking notes. Let the
people vote. Let every vote count. And let the will of the people prevail.”
In addition to addressing the election, the former vice
president revisited the controversy regarding the Chicago State University
certificate submitted to the electoral body by President Bola Tinubu. Citing
reported inconsistencies in dates, signatures, and degree descriptions between
documents bearing June 22, 1979, and June 27, 1979, he referenced Section
137(1)(j) of the Constitution regarding candidate qualifications and urged full
verification.
“Who
produced the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC? When was it produced? Who
authorised it? Why does it differ from the other version, and does Chicago
State University authenticate the exact document submitted to INEC?”
He argued that leadership requires the highest standards of
transparency, maintaining that public office holders should not be exempt from
the scrutiny expected of everyday citizens.
“If a young
Nigerian would be required to explain such discrepancies before getting an
ordinary job, why should the man seeking Nigeria’s highest job be exempt from
the same standard?”
Turning to youth involvement in governance, Atiku pledged
that under his political platform, at least 30 percent of legislative
candidates would be under 40 years old, with a substantial portion under 30. He
urged young citizens to translate online commentary into organized political
structures:
“Anger is
not an organisation. A hashtag is not an organisation.”
He encouraged Nigerian youth to move beyond social media
activism and actively participate in building the political frameworks
necessary to shape the country's future.
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