Key Takeaways
- Atiku warns INEC and security agencies not to use state institutions to favor the APC in Osun.
- He calls the election a critical test of Nigeria’s democratic credibility.
- Atiku renews certificate questions against President Tinubu, citing constitutional disqualification.
- He promises 30 percent youth representation in legislative candidates under his programme.
Security Warning
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned INEC, security agencies and the Federal Government against using state institutions to tilt the Osun governorship election in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja, Atiku said the scale and posture of security deployment around the election risked making a civil democratic exercise look like a military operation.
“Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents,” he said.
Security Priorities
Atiku questioned why such overwhelming security capacity is being deployed for an election when terrorists, kidnappers and bandits continue to attack communities. He cautioned INEC against frustrating voters through technical failures, unexplained delays or opaque handling of results.
He demanded timely arrival of electoral materials, unhindered voting, honest counting and transparent transmission of results.
“The police belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC,” he declared.
Atiku said the world is watching Osun. “Let the people vote. Let every vote count. And let the will of the people prevail.”
Certificate Controversy
Atiku also returned to the disputes around the Chicago State University certificate President Bola Tinubu submitted to INEC. He said the certificate reportedly bears June 22, 1979, while another document in CSU records bears June 27, 1979, with differences in signatures and the description of the degree.
He also questioned the appearance on documents dated 1979 of names associated with university officials whose tenures reportedly began years later. Who produced the certificate, who authorised it, and does Chicago State University authenticate the exact document submitted to INEC?
Citing Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, Atiku argued that a forged certificate submitted to INEC can lead to disqualification. “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?”
Youth Representation
Atiku pledged that at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under his political programme will be below 40, with a significant number below 30. He urged young Nigerians to move beyond social media activism and turn frustration into organised political participation.
“Anger is not an organisation. A hashtag is not an organisation,” he said.
Why This Matters
The Osun election has become a defining test of Nigeria’s democratic integrity. The choices made by INEC and security institutions will signal whether Nigerian elections can truly reflect the will of the people.