Atiku faults Tinubu’s response to Oyo school rescue, says Nigeria needs ‘Commander-in-Chief, not campaigner-in-Chief

Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his handling of the rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, accusing the President of prioritising political activities over national security.

Mr Atiku, in a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said while the successful rescue operation deserved national celebration, the President failed to demonstrate the leadership expected of a Commander-in-Chief at a critical moment.

The former vice president, however, welcomed the rescue of the victims, describing it as a huge relief to their families and millions of Nigerians who had prayed for their safe return.

He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for what he described as their courage, professionalism and sacrifice in carrying out the operation.

“The rescue of innocent schoolchildren from the hands of terrorists is a victory for our gallant troops and a source of hope for every Nigerian family. They deserve the gratitude of the nation,” Atiku said.

He noted that the rescue coincided with the launch of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s nationwide “Door-to-Door” campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, arguing that governance and national security should have taken precedence over partisan politics.

According to him, no responsible government should be preoccupied with re-election campaigns while innocent schoolchildren remained in the custody of kidnappers.

“The first campaign of any responsible administration must be the campaign to rescue its citizens, restore security and reassure anxious families. Politics can wait; the lives of innocent children cannot. Yesterday should have been dedicated to the war room, not the campaign room,” he stated.

Atiku said although terrorism remained a global challenge, what distinguished effective governments from others was the quality of leadership demonstrated when security agencies recorded major successes.

He argued that President Tinubu ought to have personally addressed the nation immediately after the rescue operation alongside the country’s security chiefs.

According to him, such an address would have reassured Nigerians, boosted the morale of security personnel, honoured the troops involved in the operation and sent a strong warning to terrorists and bandits.

“What Nigerians expected yesterday was to see a Commander-in-Chief leading from the front,” he said, adding that moments of national significance required visible presidential leadership rather than routine official statements.

The former vice president lamented that the announcement of what he described as one of the country’s biggest recent security breakthroughs was left to the President’s spokesman while the President continued with political engagements.

“The Commander-in-Chief is more than a constitutional title; it is a moral responsibility. In moments of national triumph and national grief, Nigerians expect to see their President embody that office. Leadership is not exercised only behind closed doors; it must also be seen, heard and felt by both the citizens and those who threaten them,” he said.

Atiku further stressed that symbolism played a crucial role in the fight against terrorism, insisting that public recognition of the military by the President would strengthen public confidence and reinforce the resolve of security forces.

He warned that any perception that politics was taking precedence over national security could undermine public trust in government.

While congratulating the security agencies, Atiku cautioned against celebrating the rescue as though the country’s security crisis had been resolved.

He observed that many Nigerians, including abducted schoolchildren and other innocent citizens in Borno State and several parts of the country, were still being held captive by terrorists and kidnappers.

“One successful rescue must not become an excuse for self-congratulation. A nation cannot celebrate while other parents still go to bed not knowing whether their children are alive or dead. Our work is not done until every abducted Nigerian is safely reunited with his or her family,” he said.

The former vice president maintained that the greatest campaign any President could undertake was the protection of the lives and property of Nigerians rather than seeking re-election.

He urged the Federal Government to sustain military operations against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers until every abducted Nigerian regained freedom and communities under siege were restored to peace.

Quoting an African proverb to underscore his position, Atiku said, “When the drum of danger beats, the village chief does not send a messenger to dance in his place.”

He added that while the country’s soldiers had acquitted themselves honourably during the rescue mission, the occasion also demanded visible leadership from the nation’s Commander-in-Chief.

“Leadership is not only measured by victories won on the battlefield, but by the courage displayed from the highest office in moments that define a nation,” he said.