Former PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of paying opposition leaders ₦50 million each to undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
Atiku made the claim during a national conference on strengthening democracy, organized by civic groups in Abuja on Monday. He warned that Nigeria’s democracy is in danger of collapsing without immediate intervention.
“I want to make this clear: I met with leaders from a political party in the current opposition, and they openly told me the government gives them ₦50 million each,” Atiku revealed.
He cautioned that if this continues, democracy could be at risk. “If we’re not careful, some of you here might be recipients of this ₦50 million from the APC government. Do we truly want to fight for democracy?”
Atiku also criticized the National Assembly for acting as a “rubber stamp” for the government and raised concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral body. He referenced Turkey’s electoral integrity, where the body refused to declare a president-elect who didn’t meet the vote threshold, urging Nigeria to adopt similar standards.
Reflecting on his personal sacrifices for democracy, including an assassination attempt, the confiscation of his businesses, and exile, Atiku emphasized the importance of opposition unity.
“If we don’t unite and act, we may lose our democracy altogether,” he warned.
