Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has addressed President Bola Tinubu, expressing concern about the escalating security challenges in the nation, particularly the prevalent kidnappings.
Atiku, who competed against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, urged the President to step down if he cannot effectively address the worsening insecurity.
Despite the growing insecurity, Atiku pointed out that the President took a private trip to France, which he deemed inappropriate. Atiku criticized Tinubu, stating that the nation doesn’t need another “Tourist-in-Chief.”
Tinubu’s departure for a private visit to France was confirmed by his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who mentioned that the President would return in the first week of February 2024.
The visit was the President’s third to France since he assumed office eight months ago.
The Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party and Labour Party had also demanded an explanation of what the Presidency described as a private visit.
The PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, stated that the insecurity and the state of the nation’s economy made it the worst time for Tinubu to embark on a foreign trip.
This was as the spokesman for the LP 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, alleged that there was a hidden agenda for the trip and mentioned that the President was sick.
But reacting to the visit and pocket of kidnappings in Nigeria, Atiku said the country needs an active leader to confront insecurity.
“Tinubu is playing fiddle while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity. To imagine that the Commander-in-Chief is on a so-called private visit while kidnappers kill a nursing mother and grandmother in Abuja for failing to pay N90m ransom and two monarchs in Ekiti, among other regular tragedies besetting Nigerians.
“If the shoes are too big for Emilokan, he should step aside. Nigeria does not need another Tourist-in-Chief. The country needs 24/7 leadership to confront the pervasive insecurity and collapsing economy,” Atiku said in a post on his X account on Tuesday.
