Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised recent remarks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suggesting that insecurity will not force him out of office, describing the stance as troubling and disconnected from the realities facing Nigerians.
Atiku's Statement on Leadership and Responsibility
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said leadership is defined not by defiance but by responsibility, compassion, and decisive action in times of crisis. While acknowledging that President Tinubu’s decision to seek re-election is a constitutional right, Atiku argued that the administration has failed in its most fundamental duty—protecting lives and property.
“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,” he said.
Scale of Violence Under Current Administration
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. “These are not just numbers—they are families shattered, communities destroyed, and a nation bleeding,” he added.
He described as “deeply offensive” any attempt to dismiss the grief of victims’ families as political opportunism, saying such remarks trivialise profound human loss. “It is horrifying that the deaths of innocent citizens—killed due to failures in security—are reduced to mere political rhetoric,” he said.
Government's Muted Response to Tragedies
The former Vice President also condemned what he termed the government’s muted response to ongoing tragedies, citing a recent attack in Ilejemeje, Ekiti State, where gunmen invaded a church, killing a pastor and abducting worshippers. “That such an atrocity has not drawn sufficient empathy or acknowledgement from the highest levels of government is deeply disturbing,” he said.
Atiku maintained that declining public confidence in the administration is a direct result of its performance, not political opposition. “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 said.
Call for Security Overhaul
He further cautioned against attempts to silence dissent, insisting that no amount of intimidation or deflection can alter the lived realities of Nigerians. “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.”
Atiku reiterated that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property, urging the administration to move beyond rhetoric and urgently overhaul its security strategy. “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.”
He concluded that the sanctity of human life must remain the ultimate test of governance, warning that no administration can endure indefinitely amid unchecked loss of innocent lives.
