Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a strong warning against reported moves to suspend political campaign activities in parts of northern Nigeria, describing any such step as a dangerous threat to constitutional rights and democratic participation that could fuel long-standing fears of deliberate political exclusion in the region.
Atiku’s statement followed media reports that the Senate was considering halting political activities in states grappling with escalating insecurity including Borno, Benue, and Plateau, ahead of the commencement of the 2027 election campaign season officially scheduled to begin in August.
While acknowledging the severity of the security situation in affected states, Atiku insisted emphatically that insecurity could not be used as justification for curtailing democratic participation, arguing that restricting campaigns would deepen mistrust and reinforce long-standing fears of political exclusion in a region that had already experienced significant political marginalisation.
“The right to vote and participate in the electoral process is fundamental and cannot be abridged under any guise. Any attempt to suppress political activities in parts of Northern Nigeria raises legitimate concerns about disenfranchisement,” he said through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu.
He framed the issue in broader democratic terms, arguing that what was at stake was not merely the timing of campaign activities but fundamental questions of representation, inclusion, and the integrity of the electoral process. “You cannot cure insecurity by silencing the voices of the people,” he added.
Atiku called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and the Tinubu administration to publicly clarify their positions and provide concrete assurances that no region would be denied its constitutionally guaranteed rights, warning that ambiguity on the question would fuel anxiety and political tension.
The debate came in the context of the Senate’s renewed focus on the deteriorating security situation in parts of the North-East, North-West, and North-Central, with Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central having called for consideration of emergency measures including temporary suspension of political activities in frontline states until security conditions improved sufficiently to allow safe civic engagement.
