Aliyu Audu Walks Away: “I Won’t Be Tool for APC Authoritarianism”

Aliyu Audu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Affairs, has resigned from his position, citing ethical concerns over what he described as an orchestrated attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to turn Nigeria into a de facto one-party state.

In a resignation letter dated June 8, 2025, and submitted via the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Audu stated unequivocally that his departure was “effective immediately.”

“It is not an act of rebellion but of conscience,” he wrote in an accompanying public statement.

Audu, known for his previous loyalty to the Tinubu administration, said he could no longer be a pawn in a game that undermines Nigeria’s democratic foundation.

“Though I do not align with the PDP, I refuse to be used directly or indirectly as an instrument to reduce Nigeria to a one-party state. That would be a betrayal of both divine favor and democratic principle,” he declared.

Drawing parallels with the Obasanjo era of 2003, Audu warned that silencing opposition voices was both “politically reckless” and “spiritually dangerous.”

“Suppressing dissent is regression, not leadership,” he said. “Even God allows belief and disbelief to coexist. Why, then, should mere mortals fear ideological diversity?”

In a pointed jab at recent political alignments, he expressed discomfort with the “unholy alliance” between President Tinubu and Nyesom Wike, a deal that, he suggested, compromises democratic values.

Despite his resignation, Audu praised some of the administration’s economic reforms and affirmed that his departure does not mean disengagement from political discourse:

“Our gbas gbos will not stop. I’m still here for the attacks and counterattacks. Oya, Agbadorians, over to you.”