Tinubu “Abandoned” Nigerians During National Crisis – Atiku

“While Tinubu dines under chandeliers in the land of good governance, the country he governs is spiraling into chaos.”

The former vice president mentioned the recent killings in Plateau State, where over 100 people have died in repeated attacks by armed assailants.

Benue State and parts of the North-East are also experiencing renewed violence linked to Boko Haram and bandit groups, with thousands displaced and communities living in fear.

Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, described the president’s continued foreign travels as a “dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale.”

“Nigeria is in a full-blown state of emergency. Not a contrived political emergency like what Tinubu declared in Rivers for partisan gain – this is a national collapse,” he said.

Atiku questioned the logic of spending billions on borrowing. At the same time, the president embarks on what he called “vanity trips” abroad, suggesting that nothing Tinubu is doing in France could not be done from Nigeria.

“Let the facts speak for themselves. What justification is there for gallivanting across Europe while Nigeria bleeds?”

This is not the first time Atiku has criticised Tinubu’s foreign engagements.

Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has made multiple trips to France, drawing scrutiny over costs and transparency.

The latest trip comes amid mounting pressure on the federal government to act decisively on worsening insecurity and economic hardship.

The Presidency has not responded directly to Atiku’s latest statement, but government officials have previously defended Tinubu’s trips abroad as necessary for attracting investment and strengthening diplomatic ties.