Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar used a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja to denounce what he called a systematic effort to erode Nigeria's democracy. The notice, issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, warned that handing out food items such as rice, spaghetti and indomie will not replace public confidence at the polls. Atiku said, "What is unfolding is not subtle; it is deliberate," and added, "Stomach infrastructure cannot substitute for public trust. Bags of rice, spaghetti, and indomie may offer temporary relief, but they cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot box. This attempt to reconfigure Nigeria to 'Rice‑geria' will not help these urban bandits, it will end in shame." He claimed President Bola Tinubu's administration is consolidating power, noting that more than 30 state governors have been drawn into the ruling party's orbit. Atiku listed advantages the government enjoys – control of state institutions, incumbency power, access to public resources and favourable conditions within key democratic bodies – yet said a "visible anxiety" persists about opposition and voters. He accused the ruling side of using detention orders against opponents and of making electoral decisions that appear partial, stating, "These are not coincidences. They are signals." The former vice president named several politicians, including Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Nasir El‑Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Abubakar Malami, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, as operating in a constrained environment. Concluding, he urged citizens to stay vigilant ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that democracy must not be reduced to a managed process.
Atiku's warning that President Tinubu's reliance on food handouts cannot secure electoral legitimacy signals a growing distrust of state‑driven patronage. If voters see such "stomach infrastructure" as insufficient, the ruling party may face heightened scrutiny and resistance as the 2027 election approaches.
