Natasha: Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Weaponising State Institutions to Harass Opposition

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a severe critique against the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of a deliberate strategy to undermine democracy, following the unsealing of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s National Assembly office.

The senator’s office had been sealed for six months following her controversial suspension by the Senate.

In a short statement on his social media handle on Tuesday, marking the end of the ordeal, Atiku framed the event as a small victory in a much larger conflict, warning that the nation’s democratic institutions are under threat.

The saga began in March when the Senate, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, suspended the Kogi Central representative for 180 days over allegations of misconduct and breach of privilege. The move was seen by many political observers as an extreme measure to silence a vocal opposition figure. The subsequent sealing of her office physically enacted the suspension, barring her from her legislative duties and denying her constituents representation. The senator challenged the suspension in court, and after a six-month legal battle, the Federal High Court in Abuja declared the action null and void.

Responding to this development, Atiku issued a statement that struck a tone of cautious vindication.

He stated, “It is reassuring that the voice of reason has prevailed at last with the unsealing of the office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.” He acknowledged the deep cost of the suspension, noting, “Though the precious time denied the people of Kogi Central in the Senate can never be reclaimed, this struggle has not been in vain.

“It has proven, once again, that when we stand together, we can triumph over tyranny.”

However, Atiku’s statement quickly moved from this specific incident to a sweeping indictment of the Tinubu administration. He argued that the treatment of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is part of a disturbing pattern designed to weaken opposition ahead of the next election cycle.

He explicitly connected it to the political crisis in Rivers State, asserting, “The suspension of Governor Simi Fubara and lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the unlawful suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the weaponisation of state institutions to harass and intimidate opposition voices are not isolated acts.” He presented these events as clear evidence of a calculated plan, stating they are “deliberate markers of the Tinubu administration’s strategy as 2027 approaches: to subvert our hard-earned democracy and compromise the will of the people at any cost.”

Concluding, Atiku sought to position himself and the opposition as the defenders of the nation’s democratic integrity. He vowed, “Let it be clear: on our part, we shall do everything legitimate and within the bounds of the law to protect our democracy, defend the sovereignty of the people’s mandate, and rescue our nation from the grip of authoritarianism.”