Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s prolonged foreign stay despite escalating violence in Benue State, where at least 55 people have been killed in recent attacks.
The assaults, reportedly carried out by armed herders, targeted Logo and Ukum local government areas, including communities like Ugondo, Tyuluv, and Gbagir.
Expressing outrage in a Saturday Facebook statement, Atiku said, “Nigeria is bleeding. Nigerians are dying. The president is nowhere to be found.” He criticized Tinubu for what he described as “governing Nigeria in absentia,” calling it a failure in leadership during a national crisis.
Atiku stressed that “leadership demands presence,” referencing global leaders like Barack Obama and Cyril Ramaphosa who cut short trips to address emergencies in their countries.
“Even U.S. Senator Ted Cruz returned and admitted fault after fleeing Texas during a deadly winter storm,” he noted.
He added, “If Tinubu cannot deliver safety and dignity to Nigerians, the very least he can do is pretend to care.”
The former vice president extended his condolences to the people of Benue State, stating, “We stand with you in grief and in solidarity.”
He also accused the Tinubu administration of being “utterly incapable, wholly incompetent, and completely devoid of any coherent ideas for tackling Nigeria’s deepening security crisis.”
Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the death toll from the Benue attacks had risen to 55, further igniting public concern over the federal government’s apparent lack of urgency.
Atiku concluded, “An inept administration may not suddenly discover competence. But we will not stop calling it out.”
