Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over recent remarks suggesting that worsening insecurity would not force him out of office, describing the stance as disconnected from the realities facing Nigerians.
In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the president’s comments were troubling and failed to reflect the gravity of the security challenges confronting the country.
He described the remarks as insensitive to victims of violence and their families, insisting that leadership should be defined by responsibility, empathy, and decisive action rather than defiance.
“It is horrifying that the deaths of innocent citizens killed due to failures in security are reduced to mere political rhetoric,” Atiku said.
While acknowledging Tinubu’s constitutional right to seek re-election, the former vice president argued that the administration had fallen short in its primary responsibility of safeguarding lives and property.
He warned that the scale of violence across the country had reached alarming levels, claiming that more than 10,000 Nigerians had been killed since May 2023, with some reports suggesting the figure could exceed 18,000 within two years.
“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,” he said.
Atiku also condemned what he described as the government’s muted response to recent violent incidents, citing an attack in Ilejemeje, Ekiti State, where gunmen reportedly stormed a church, killed a pastor, and abducted worshippers.
He said it was concerning that such incidents appeared to receive limited official reaction or empathy from the federal authorities.
“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.
The former vice president further cautioned against any attempt to silence criticism, noting that citizens are directly experiencing the effects of governance.
He emphasised that the foremost duty of government is the protection of its people and urged the administration to move beyond rhetoric and take urgent steps to address the country’s security challenges.
“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.”
