By Idowu Adebomi

The Presidency has remained silent following the sudden resignation of Mr. Aliyu Audu, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Public Affairs, who stepped down citing fears of a creeping one-party state under the current administration.

Audu’s resignation, dated June 8, 2025, was submitted through the office of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

In his letter, Audu thanked President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and praised presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, whose recommendation secured his appointment on August 26, 2023.

But in a separate public statement, Audu made it clear that his decision to quit was grounded in deep concerns about democratic backsliding.

He said, “It is not an act of rebellion but of conscience. 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 favour and democratic principle.”

Audu condemned the perceived attempt to suppress opposition voices and warned against the repetition of past political excesses.

“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. Such a path is not only politically reckless; it is spiritually dangerous,” he added.

The former aide stressed the need for genuine political competition, asserting that democracy must be rooted in fairness and pluralism.

While distancing himself from the opposition, Audu also distanced himself from the internal political direction of the APC, especially the alliance between President Tinubu and Minister Nyesom Wike.

Despite his resignation, Audu pledged continued support for the administration’s economic agenda:

“I will continue to support our government in power not just because I helped bring it but also because I believe in the success recorded in the area of economic reforms.”

As of press time, the Presidency has issued no formal response to Audu’s resignation.