Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over a remark that rising insecurity in parts of the country will not force him out of office.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described Tinubu’s stance as troubling and disconnected from the realities facing Nigerians.
Atiku stated that the remark is not only deeply offensive but also any attempt to dismiss the grief of victims’ families as political opportunism, stressing that leadership is defined not by defiance but by responsibility, compassion, and decisive action in times of crisis.
He said, “It is horrifying that the deaths of innocent citizens killed due to failures in security are reduced to mere political rhetoric.”
While acknowledging that Tinubu’s decision to seek re-election is a constitutional right, Atiku argued that the administration has failed in its most fundamental duty to protect lives and property.
Atiku warned that the scale of violence under the current administration has become intolerable, citing estimates that more than 10,000 Nigerians have been killed since May 2023, with some figures exceeding 18,000 within two years.
He stressed, “It is not political opponents who will judge this administration, it is the blood of innocent Nigerians being shed daily across the country. That blood speaks louder than any declaration of political resolve.
“These are not just numbers they are families shattered, communities destroyed, and a nation bleeding.”
Atiku also condemned the government’s silence on ongoing tragedies, citing a recent attack in Ilejemeje, Ekiti State, where gunmen invaded a church, killing a pastor and abducting worshippers.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain maintained that declining public confidence in the administration is a direct result of its performance, not political opposition.
He said, “That such an atrocity has not drawn sufficient empathy or acknowledgement from the highest levels of government is deeply disturbing.
“The rising cost of living, questionable fiscal decisions, and worsening insecurity are why Nigerians are losing faith. Trust must be earned. it cannot be demanded.”
He further cautioned against attempts to silence dissent, insisting that no amount of intimidation or deflection can alter the lived realities of Nigerians.
Atiku reiterated that the primary responsibility of government is to protect lives and property, urging the administration to move beyond rhetoric and urgently overhaul its security strategy.
He added, “Ultimately, the people will decide based on what they see and experience,” he said. “When lives are lost and communities destroyed, governance itself is on trial and no rhetoric can overturn that verdict.
“At a time like this, Nigerians do not need bravado—they need protection. They do not need assurances of political endurance they need evidence of leadership.”
