Amid ongoing violence in Benue State and across parts of Nigeria, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has again sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of being incapable of addressing the country’s deepening security crisis.
In a strongly worded statement posted late Saturday on X (formerly Twitter), Atiku condemned what he described as Tinubu’s “disturbing indifference” and failure to lead with empathy in the face of national trauma.
The former vice president’s remarks come after dozens were killed in fresh attacks on the Logo and Gbagir communities in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
While the country mourns, President Tinubu has remained abroad, prompting Atiku to call into question not only his absence but his administration’s overall capacity to respond meaningfully to the crisis.
“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.
He added that the view was not his alone, claiming that “a growing consensus” of opposition leaders, security experts, and even some members of the ruling party privately agree with this sentiment.
Leadership, Atiku argued, demands not just action but presence. Drawing comparisons with global leaders, he noted that U.S. President Barack Obama once cut short a diplomatic trip after a mass shooting, and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa returned home during an electricity crisis.
Even controversial figures like U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, he said, faced public backlash for leaving their constituents behind in a moment of crisis.
“In our own history, President Goodluck Jonathan returned from Equatorial Guinea in 2014 following a deadly bomb blast in Abuja. That is the expected minimum in moments of national trauma,” Atiku added.
“Yet President Bola Tinubu, incapable of solving Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, chooses instead to gallivant across Europe – governing Nigeria in absentia as if from a holiday perch.”
Benue State has been a flashpoint of deadly attacks over the years, with communities in the Middle Belt often bearing the brunt of clashes between herders and farmers, banditry, and other forms of organized violence. The latest killings in Logo and Gbagir have reignited national outrage and calls for urgent action.
Despite rising insecurity, the presidency has not issued a detailed public response to the Benue killings as of Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, Atiku insists that Nigerians deserve not just better security, but a president who can be physically and emotionally present in moments of national pain.
“If Tinubu cannot act, the least he can do is show up. If he cannot lead with empathy, he should at least attempt the performance of it. Nigeria is bleeding. Nigerians are dying. The president is nowhere to be found,” Atiku wrote.
He extended his condolences to the people and government of Benue State, expressing solidarity and grief while reiterating his commitment to holding the administration accountable.
“An inept administration may not suddenly discover competence. But we will not stop calling it out,” he said. “If Tinubu cannot deliver safety and dignity to Nigerians, the very least he can do is pretend to care – regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation.”
The statement is the latest in a series of criticisms by Atiku since the 2023 general elections, where he ran as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and lost to Tinubu.
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