Aliyu Audu, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Affairs, officially resigned on June 8, 2025, via a letter submitted through the office of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. In his resignation, Audu emphasized that his departure is not driven by political defection but by the dictates of conscience, revealing deep concerns over efforts to transform Nigeria into a one-party state under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a personal statement, Audu condemned recent trends within the APC, particularly mass defections from other parties, as undermining democratic practice. He insisted he remains independent of the PDP yet refuses to be “used directly or indirectly as an instrument” to silence alternative voices, branding such tactics as betraying divine favor and democratic principle. He further cautioned that suppressing dissent echoes the authoritarian era of the Obasanjo administration and poses “spiritually dangerous” threats to the country’s future.
Although Audu affirmed his support for President Tinubu’s economic reforms, he voiced strong opposition to the political coalition between Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. He described their partnership as an “unholy alliance,” signaling a growing divide within the APC over ideological direction.
Audu framed his resignation as a broader plea for Nigeria’s political leadership to prioritize a contest of ideas and principled governance. “True democracy thrives on healthy competition, not political domination,” he noted, urging leaders to embrace ideological pluralism and warning against homogenous rule.
