Presidential insults can’t replace transparency — Atiku

Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described the Presidency’s latest statement attacking his person as further proof that the Tinubu administration has chosen diversion over disclosure and insults over accountability.

This was contained in a statement issued by Abubakar’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

He said it was telling that the Presidency devoted several paragraphs to personal attacks without addressing the fundamental issues that continue to generate legitimate public interest.

He said: “When governments abandon facts for insults and substitute evidence with abuse, they unwittingly admit that they have run out of convincing answers. 

“Nigerians expected clarification. 

“What they received instead was a barrage of name-calling and political invective.”

Abubakar noted that raising questions about matters contained in public records should never be misconstrued as an attack on Nigeria’s sovereignty.

He said: “No one has reported Nigeria to anyone. 

“Nigeria is not on trial. 

“The issue concerns questions arising from publicly available records relating to the occupant of the nation’s highest office. 

“Those records were not created by the opposition, the ADC, or any political actor. 

“Attempting to silence legitimate public inquiry by wrapping oneself in the national flag does not answer the questions before the country.”

The former Vice President said it was particularly unfortunate that the Presidency chose to revive old political allegations against him instead of responding directly to the issues it was confronted with.

Abubakar said: “Nigerians can distinguish between political mudslinging and factual responses. 

“Personal attacks do not erase public records, nor do they substitute for transparency. 

“The Presidency should resist the temptation to personalise issues that require clear and factual explanations.”

He further observed the irony of an administration that actively seeks foreign investment, foreign loans, favourable international ratings, and global endorsements suddenly portraying international scrutiny as an assault on Nigeria’s independence.

He added: “You cannot celebrate international validation when it is convenient and condemn international scrutiny when it becomes uncomfortable. 

“Accountability is not foreign interference; it is a democratic obligation.”

Abubakar also dismissed the argument that electoral victory automatically settles every question concerning public accountability.

He said: “Elections confer political authority, but they do not extinguish the public’s right to ask questions. 

“A democratic mandate is not a substitute for transparency, nor does it exempt any public official from the obligation to account to the people.”

He urged the Presidency to abandon its combative posture and provide Nigerians with clear, factual responses instead of inflammatory rhetoric.

He said: “If the government believes that the public record has been misunderstood or misrepresented, the appropriate response is to present the facts. 

“Abuse cannot replace evidence, and propaganda cannot replace truth.”

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖