Atiku Warns Tinubu, Says Police, Military, INEC Must Not Serve APC

• Atiku warns that Saturday’s Osun governorship election will test Nigeria’s democracy, insisting the world is watching how the poll is conducted.

• Former Vice President declares that the Police, military, and INEC belong to Nigerians, not the APC, cautioning against intimidation, militarisation, and manipulation of the electoral process.

• ADC presidential candidate revives the controversy over President Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, demanding answers over alleged discrepancies and invoking constitutional provisions on forged certificates.

• Atiku unveils youth inclusion agenda, promising greater political opportunities for young Nigerians while urging them to organise beyond social media activism.

August 12, () — Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election.

Speaking at the ADC National Youth Leadership Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku warned that the Police, military, and electoral umpire must not be used to advance the interests of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that “the world is watching.”

He described the August 15 governorship election as a defining test of Nigeria’s democratic credentials ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former vice president cautioned against what he described as the growing militarisation of elections, warning that democratic contests should never resemble military campaigns.

“The world is watching Osun. Nigerians are watching. History is taking notes. Let the people vote. Let every vote count. And let the will of the people prevail,” Atiku declared.

He stressed that the country’s security institutions must remain politically neutral and operate strictly within the Constitution.

“The police belong to Nigeria. The military belongs to Nigeria. INEC belongs to the Nigerian people. None of them belongs to the APC,” he said.

The former vice president expressed concern over the scale of security deployment for the Osun election, arguing that elections are civil democratic exercises and not military operations.

According to him, the deployment should not create fear among voters or be used to intimidate political opponents.

“Elections are civil engagements, not military operations. Ballot papers are not bullets. Voters are not enemy combatants. Opposition members are not insurgents,” he said.

Atiku questioned why similar levels of security mobilisation were not being deployed against terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits who continue to terrorise communities across Nigeria.

He also warned INEC against what he described as “mysterious glitches,” unexplained delays, or any form of manipulation capable of undermining the credibility of the election.

He demanded the timely deployment of election materials, transparent accreditation, unhindered voting, honest counting of ballots, and credible transmission of results.

Revives Tinubu Certificate Questions

Beyond the Osun election, Atiku reignited the controversy surrounding President Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University (CSU), raising fresh questions about the certificate submitted to INEC during the presidential election.

He alleged that discrepancies existed between the certificate filed with INEC and another document associated with the university, arguing that the differences require public explanation.

According to Atiku, the certificate submitted to INEC reportedly bears the date June 22, 1979, while another linked to CSU records bears June 27, 1979, with reported differences in signatures and the description of the degree awarded.

He also questioned why names or signatures of university officials whose tenures allegedly commenced years after 1979 appeared on documents bearing that date.

Invoking Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides for the disqualification of a presidential candidate who presents a forged certificate to INEC, Atiku argued that the exact certificate submitted to the electoral commission should be independently authenticated.

“Who produced the certificate Tinubu submitted to INEC? When was it produced? Who authorised it? Why does it differ from the other version, and does Chicago State University authenticate the exact document submitted to INEC?” he asked.

He added that if an ordinary Nigerian seeking employment would be required to explain such discrepancies, anyone seeking the country’s highest office should be held to the same standard.

Youth Inclusion

Atiku also pledged to expand youth participation in governance if elected, promising that at least 30 per cent of legislative candidates under his political programme would be below the age of 40, with a significant number under 30 years.

Urging young Nigerians to move beyond online activism, he challenged them to actively participate in Politics and democratic processes.

According to him, political transformation requires sustained organisation rather than social media outrage.

“Anger is not an organisation. A hashtag is not an organisation. Your time is not tomorrow. Your time is now,” he said.