Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what he described as the President’s glaring absence and failure to respond to the country’s worsening security crisis.
In a statement released via his official Facebook page, Atiku decried the recent killings in Benue State’s Logo and Gbagir communities in Ukum Local Government Area, condemning the federal government’s silence in the face of such loss.
“The Tinubu administration has proven, time and again, to be utterly incapable, wholly incompetent, and completely devoid of any coherent ideas for tackling Nigeria’s deepening security crisis,” Atiku said. “This is not just my position — it is a growing consensus among political opposition leaders, respected security experts, and even members within the ruling party.”
He faulted what he described as the president’s lack of compassion and visible leadership during national emergencies, arguing that empathy should be the least a grieving nation receives from its Commander-in-Chief.
“The blood of innocent Nigerians continues to be spilled with appalling regularity… yet the Tinubu presidency remains disturbingly indifferent, displaying neither urgency nor the basic decency of public empathy,” Atiku stated.
Referencing global standards of leadership in crisis, Atiku pointed to instances where heads of government abandoned official duties abroad to return home and take charge — citing Barack Obama, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Goodluck Jonathan as examples of responsive leadership.
“Yet President Bola Tinubu… chooses instead to gallivant across Europe — governing Nigeria in absentia as if from a holiday perch. If he cannot act, the least he can do is show up,” he said.
He extended his sympathies to the families affected by the Benue attacks and the state at large, saying, “We stand with you in grief and in solidarity.”
The former vice president concluded his statement with a direct call for leadership that is visible, accountable, and responsive to the people — especially in times of national trauma.
“If Tinubu cannot deliver safety and dignity to Nigerians, the very least he can do is pretend to care,” he added.
