Presidential Aide Aliyu Audu Quits Over One-Party State Fears

Aliyu Audu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Public Affairs, has resigned from his position, citing deep concerns over what he described as the administration’s shift toward a one-party state.

In a resignation letter dated June 8 and submitted through the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Audu stated:

“I write to formally tender my resignation as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, effective immediately.”

In a subsequent public statement, Audu stressed that his decision was driven by principle and conscience rather than political disloyalty. He voiced discomfort with what he perceived as a growing intolerance for dissent within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“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,” he declared. “That would be a betrayal of both divine favour and democratic principle.”

Audu drew historical parallels, warning against authoritarian tendencies that mirror past regimes.

“If we now begin to silence or crush opposition simply because we have the upper hand, then we are no different from the very system we once criticised under Obasanjo in 2003.”

He argued that a healthy democracy thrives on ideological diversity rather than political monopoly, describing the suppression of alternative voices as both “politically reckless” and “spiritually dangerous.”

While expressing support for some of President Tinubu’s economic reforms, Audu made it clear that he no longer shares the administration’s current political trajectory. He specifically pointed to the President’s political partnership with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as evidence of ideological compromise.

“We just differ on political views as I pride myself with being a progressive and a promoter of democratic values, which seems to be lost in the unholy alliance of PBAT with Wike,” he noted.

Audu’s resignation has sparked debate about the internal direction of the APC and its broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic landscape.