You will tarnish your hard-earned reputation by muzzling oppositions – Bafarawa writes Tinubu

You will tarnish your hard-earned reputation by muzzling oppositions – Bafarawa writes Tinubu

Former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu
Bafarawa, has cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against stifling opposition
politics in Nigeria, warning that such a move could harm the country’s
democracy.

 

In an open letter addressed to the President, Bafarawa urged
Tinubu to remember how opposition politics played a role in his own rise to
power and ensured that Nigeria remains a multi-party democracy.

 

Bafarawa, who served as governor from 1999 to 2007, recalled
his long history in Nigerian politics, emphasizing his commitment to democracy.
He noted that past administrations allowed the opposition to thrive, which
ultimately led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the
party under which Tinubu was elected.

 

“You are, as a matter of fact, a product of opposition
politics. You will therefore be making a grave mistake if you allow yourself to
be carried away by the temporary power at your disposal by not giving the
opposition a breathing space,”

Bafarawa wrote. “Anybody who is advising you to muzzle the
opposition wants to deceive you into tarnishing your hard-earned reputation as
a democrat.”

 

Beyond politics, Bafarawa expressed deep concern over the
worsening economic situation in the country, stating that Nigerians are
experiencing severe hardship nearly two years into Tinubu’s administration. He
pointed to the growing insecurity, inflation, and widespread hunger, calling
for urgent intervention.

 

“The blight of insecurity which you promised to curtail is
getting out of hand. The economic outlook is frightening. Inflation is
galloping out of control. Hunger is ravaging the land. There are cries of
anguish all over the country. This slide, Mr President, must be urgently
arrested without further delay,” he wrote.

 

While acknowledging that Tinubu inherited an insecure and
struggling economy from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, Bafarawa insisted
that the President has a “historical responsibility”to fulfill his campaign
promises to improve the lives of Nigerians.

 

He further advised the President to learn from the
democratic system in the United States, where two dominant parties ensure the
stability of democracy. He warned that any attempt to suppress opposition
voices could lead to national instability.

 

“I therefore call on you, Mr President, to shun the
temptation of enthroning a one-party order in Nigeria. Nigeria can ill afford a
one-party arrangement. It is a recipe for anarchy. Rather, sustenance of a
democratic order is the easiest route to move a country forward,” he wrote.

 

Bafarawa reminded Tinubu that had opposition politics been
suppressed in the past, he would not have had the platform to become President.

 

“Remember, if those who came before you killed the
opposition, there would have been no vehicle for you to get to your present
political destination,” he added.

 

Source: You will tarnish your hard-earned reputation by muzzling oppositions – Bafarawa writes Tinubu

 - NigerianEye
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