Atiku Abubakar has called on President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on his presidency, citing worsening insecurity and economic collapse. He slammed Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips amid national chaos, warning that Nigeria is teetering on the edge of collapse. The presidency has not yet responded. As Nigeria faces rising insecurity and economic despair, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a blistering critique of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, urging him to declare a state of emergency, not on the nation, but on what he described as a "disastrous presidency."
In a strongly worded statement issued by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused Tinubu of abdicating responsibility at a time of national crisis. With reports of escalating violence in Plateau and Benue states and Boko Haram seizing ground in the North-East, Atiku criticized Tinubu’s continued stay in France under the guise of a “working visit,” saying it reflects "utter contempt" for the plight of ordinary Nigerians.
“Nigeria is in a full-blown state of emergency,” Atiku stated. “What kind of leader borrows billions only to splurge on vanity trips abroad while his country bleeds?”
According to the statement, Tinubu has spent 59 days in France since assuming office — a figure Atiku framed as damning given the deteriorating state of national security. The former vice president emphasized that the president’s absence was especially egregious as citizens are plunged deeper into poverty, fear, and loss.
The statement also aimed at Tinubu’s government for allegedly misrepresenting the trip as official work, labeling it as "a vacation cloaked in jargon." Atiku’s remarks follow public outcry over continued killings and displacement in the Middle Belt and North-East regions, where security forces remain overstretched.
The presidency has yet to respond formally to the accusations, but political observers believe Atiku’s remarks will heighten the already intense scrutiny on Tinubu’s leadership, particularly regarding his handling of the security crisis.
