The presidential candidate of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, declared that the actions of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration contradicts the spirit, sacrifice, and legacy of June 12.

In a statement he personally signed and released to commemorate another Democracy Day on June 12, the former Vice President charged the citizens to stand up against bad governance, reject the politics of intimidation, and resist every manifestation of democratic backsliding.

He stressed that Nigerians must once again summon the courage of those who marched, protested, resisted, suffered, and sacrificed for freedom for June 12 to retain its meaning.

The Waziri Adamawa said over the past three years, Nigerians had witnessed a deliberate and coordinated effort to weaken, fragment, and neutralise opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He added that through manufactured leadership crises, orchestrated defections, political intimidation, and the abuse of state institutions, every credible opposition platform had come under sustained attack.

Atiku said institutions that ought to serve the Nigerian people impartially had increasingly been transformed into instruments of partisan warfare, adding that financial crimes agencies, the police, the National Assembly, and even segments of the judiciary have been deployed to harass, intimidate, and coerce opposition voices into submission or defection.

Part of the statement titled ‘June 12: On The March, Again’ read: “As Nigerians prepare to commemorate another Democracy Day on June 12, we do so under the darkening shadow of a systematic assault on the democratic space by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led APC administration.

“What ought to be a celebration of freedom, popular sovereignty, and constitutional governance has instead become an occasion for sober reflection on the steady dismantling of the very ideals that inspired our struggle against military dictatorship….

“The Electoral Act 2026 has further entrenched provisions that disproportionately favour the ruling party, while freedom of speech, freedom of association, and media independence have come under relentless assault.

“These actions strike at the very heart of democracy and stand in direct contradiction to the spirit, sacrifice, and legacy of June 12,” the former Vice President said.

The Waziri Adamawa, who said he spoke not as a distant observer but as one who paid a personal price in the struggle to enthrone democratic governance in our country, stressed that he resisted every attempt to be co-opted into military rule.

He said: “Alongside other patriots, I stood firmly against dictatorship and paid dearly for that conviction. My businesses were confiscated. An assassination attempt was launched against me and my family in Kaduna. Several police officers lost their lives in that attack, and I was forced into exile.

“In the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election—the foundation upon which this Democracy Day rests—I stepped aside for the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola to emerge as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party and the eventual winner of that epochal election.

“The democracy we enjoy today was not gifted to us by benevolent rulers. It was won through sacrifice, courage, resistance, and blood. Politicians, pro-democracy activists, patriotic military officers, labour leaders, civil society organisations, students, journalists, and ordinary Nigerians united to confront military tyranny. Many paid the ultimate price. Chief MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola laid down their lives. So did Pa Alfred Rewane, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, scores of journalists, students, activists, and countless unnamed heroes whose sacrifices paved the way for the democratic order we now risk taking for granted.”

He, therefore, expressed concern that Nigeria found itself confronted by a different but equally dangerous threat 27 years after the military returned to the barracks with what he called the emergence of an increasingly authoritarian civilian order.

He said: “Unlike military dictatorship, which ruled by decrees and brute force, this new authoritarianism seeks legitimacy through institutions it has steadily captured and weakened. Its methods may be more sophisticated, but its objective is the same: the concentration of power, the silencing of dissent, and the subversion of the will of the people.

“The warning signs are everywhere. A shrinking civic space. A compromised electoral environment. The intimidation of opposition figures. The weaponisation of poverty. The weakening of democratic institutions. The growing perception that the ruling party is more interested in retaining power at all costs than in governing for the benefit of Nigerians.

“This is why June 12 must remain more than a public holiday. It must remain a living reminder that democracy is never permanently won; it must be continually defended.”

Atiku underscored the need to ensure that the sacrifices of June 12 were not in vain, stressing that “We cannot celebrate the defeat of military dictatorship while tolerating the rise of civilian autocracy. We cannot honour the heroes of democracy while remaining silent as democratic institutions are weakened and captured.”

The presidential candidate of the ADC expressed his commitment to working with all Nigerians of goodwill—across political parties, civil society organisations, labour unions, professional bodies, youth groups, and the broader public—to resist these authoritarian tendencies and defend our constitutional democracy.

“Once again, Nigerians are called upon to stand up in defence of the Republic. The hard-won gains of democratic rule are being steadily eroded, and there is a growing and legitimate concern that the Tinubu administration is determined either to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 elections or undermine the democratic process itself if it cannot secure victory through the ballot….

“The task before us transcends partisan politics. It is a national duty….The struggle continues. And just as we marched before, we must be prepared to march again,” he further advised citizens.

A former Governor of Bayelsa State and senator, Seriake Dickson, has refuted allegations that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) awards nomination tickets to the highest bidders, while acknowledging shortcomings in the party’s recently concluded primary elections.

Responding to questions during an Arise Television interview on Wednesday, Dickson said the party was actively addressing grievances raised by members in several states, including Edo and Imo, where aspirants have protested alleged irregularities and breaches of electoral guidelines.

“I have never claimed that the primary process was perfect. Far from it,” he said, adding that the party had intended to introduce electronic voting to improve transparency but lacked the time and logistical capacity to implement it.

He explained that the adoption of direct primaries under Nigeria’s electoral framework significantly complicated the process, especially for a newly established political platform managing large numbers of aspirants.

“In many cases, there were 15 or 20 aspirants seeking the same position, that naturally created intense competition and disputes,” he noted.

Addressing claims that party structures in some states had been captured by influential individuals who allegedly control access to party tickets, Dickson maintained that such narratives were not supported by evidence at the national leadership level.

On accusations that wealth determined access to governorship tickets, he was categorical in his response: “The NDC does not sell nomination forms or tickets based on wealth. Nobody has come forward with evidence that the National Working Committee or the national leadership collected money in exchange for tickets.”

He, however, acknowledged that financial capacity remains a practical consideration in electoral politics.

“In politics, resources matter. Every political party considers whether an aspirant has the capacity and resources to run a viable campaign,” he said, stressing that this should not be misconstrued as commercialisation of party tickets.

Dickson maintained that while internal disagreements exist, they are being managed within the party’s structures and should not be interpreted as evidence of systemic collapse.

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has ordered the arrest of former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, following his failure to appear before the committee investigating audit queries relating to NNPCL’s finances between 2017 and 2023.

The directive was issued during an investigative hearing chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (PDP, Gombe North) in Abuja.

The committee is probing audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation concerning NNPCL’s financial records during the period under review.

Kyari’s absence from the hearing sparked heated debate among committee members, with some senators calling for his immediate arrest, while others urged the panel to grant him another opportunity to appear.

Senators Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central) and Tony Nwoye (LP, Anambra North) informed the committee that Kyari was reportedly receiving medical treatment in Germany and should be given another chance to honour the invitation.

However, several lawmakers opposed the suggestion.

Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) argued that any claim of illness should be supported by documentary evidence rather than verbal explanations.

Senator Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central) subsequently moved a motion for the issuance of a warrant for Kyari’s arrest, which was seconded by the committee’s deputy chairman, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North).

Nwaebonyi said the committee had repeatedly invited Kyari without success and stressed the need to conclude its assignment.

“This is the ninth time this committee is meeting on the 19 audit queries raised against NNPCL by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation,” he said.

Following a voice vote, the committee adopted the motion and directed that Kyari be brought before it to answer questions relating to the audit issues under investigation.

During the hearing, former NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, rejected claims that N210 trillion was missing or unaccounted for in the company’s records.

Ajiya argued that the figure being discussed exceeded the company’s total revenue during the period in question.

“NNPCL’s total revenue for the period under review was about N54.5 trillion before deducting production costs. It is therefore impossible for N210 trillion to be missing or unaccounted for,” he told the committee.

He maintained that the publication of audited financial statements by the company demonstrated transparency and accountability.

According to him, if such a huge sum had been missing, the company would not have been able to publish audited accounts.

Ajiya also dismissed allegations that N5.8 billion was spent on the registration of NNPC Limited, describing the claim as inaccurate and urging the committee to verify the matter with the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, now known as the Nigeria Revenue Service.

He warned that unverified allegations could damage the reputation of both the company and the country, noting that international rating agencies often rely on publicly available information in assessing investment risks and sovereign ratings.

The former CFO further called on relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to investigate the claims and establish the facts.

The committee subsequently directed Ajiya and former Chief Upstream Investment Officer, Bala Wunti, to reappear before it in two weeks as the investigation continues.

The Senate panel is expected to submit its findings after concluding its review of the audit queries raised against the national oil company.