Atiku to Tinubu: Blood of innocent Nigerians will judge your govt

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu over recent comments suggesting that insecurity would not force him out of office, saying the worsening security situation across the country has become a damning verdict on the administration.

Mr Atiku, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, accused the Federal Government of failing in its primary constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said leadership should be defined by responsibility, compassion and decisive action, rather than what he described as political defiance in the face of mounting national tragedy.

“At a time when Nigerians are being killed daily, leadership is not about declarations of political survival but about protecting citizens and restoring confidence in government,” he stated.

Mr Atiku said although President Tinubu has the constitutional right to seek re-election, the administration’s handling of insecurity has left millions of Nigerians disillusioned and fearful.

“It is not political opponents who will judge this administration—it is the blood of innocent Nigerians being shed daily across our land. That blood cries out louder than any declaration of political resolve,” he said.

The former Vice President expressed concern over the scale of violence recorded since the current administration assumed office in May 2023, claiming that more than 10,000 Nigerians had been killed in attacks linked to insecurity, while other estimates placed the death toll above 18,000 within two years.

According to him, the figures represent more than statistics, describing them as evidence of shattered families, displaced communities and deepening national trauma.

“These are not ordinary numbers. They are fathers, mothers, children and breadwinners whose lives have been cut short due to persistent insecurity,” he said.

Mr Atiku also faulted the President’s alleged remark that criticisms over insecurity amounted to “playing into the hands of enemies and opponents,” arguing that such comments diminish the pain of grieving families and communities affected by violence.

“It is horrifying that the memories of innocent citizens slain because government failed to provide adequate security would be reduced to political rhetoric,” he added.

The former Vice President further cited the recent attack in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, where gunmen reportedly invaded a church gathering, killed a pastor and abducted worshippers.

He said the incident reflected what he called the growing disconnect between the suffering of ordinary Nigerians and the response of the Federal Government.

“It is disturbing that such a heinous attack has not received the empathy and urgency it deserves from the highest levels of government,” Mr Atiku stated.

He argued that the declining public confidence in the administration was largely driven by insecurity, economic hardship and controversial fiscal policies.

“The worsening cost of living, reckless fiscal policies and the alarming scale of insecurity under this administration are the real reasons Nigerians are losing faith. Leadership must earn trust—it cannot demand it,” he said.

Mr Atiku also warned against attempts to intimidate or silence opposition voices, insisting that no amount of political rhetoric could erase the daily realities confronting Nigerians.

“No amount of deflection or intimidation can rewrite the lived reality of Nigerians. Ultimately, the people will decide based on the evidence before them,” he added.

He urged the Federal Government to urgently review its security architecture and adopt more effective strategies to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other violent crimes across the country.

“Nigerians do not need bravado at this moment; they need protection. They do not need declarations of staying power; they need proof of leadership,” he said.

Mr Atiku concluded by stressing that the sanctity of human life must remain the ultimate measure of governance, warning that no government can endure indefinitely amid unchecked bloodshed and widespread insecurity.