Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency—not on any region, but on his own presidency.
In a statement released Wednesday by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, Atiku warned that Nigeria has descended into a “full-blown state of emergency,” citing worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and what he described as Tinubu’s disregard for governance amid mounting crises.
While President Tinubu remains in France on what the presidency described as a “working visit,” Atiku condemned the trip as frivolous, arguing that the country is in urgent need of leadership.
“On April 2, 2025, President Bola Tinubu flew out to France. Had this absurd announcement come just a day earlier, Nigerians would have dismissed it as an April Fool’s joke. But sadly, it’s no prank — just another insult to a nation pushed to the brink by a presidency that treats its citizens like fools,” the statement read.
Atiku accused the president of prioritizing overseas engagements over the lives of Nigerians, highlighting violent attacks in Plateau and Benue states, the resurgence of Boko Haram activity, and deepening poverty across the country.
“While Tinubu dines under chandeliers in the land of good governance, the country he governs is spiralling into chaos. Plateau has turned into a killing field — over 100 lives lost in relentless attacks. Benue is bleeding. Boko Haram is seizing territory. And every single day, Nigerians sink deeper into poverty, insecurity, and despair,” Atiku declared.
He further lambasted the administration for allegedly wasting public funds on unnecessary foreign trips. “What kind of leader borrows billions only to blow scarce funds on vanity trips abroad? It’s not just irresponsible— it’s contemptuous,” he said.
According to Atiku, Tinubu has spent 59 days in France since assuming office—time he believes should have been devoted to tackling the crises at home.
“This isn’t just negligence. It’s dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale,” the former Vice President said.
“If Tinubu had even a shred of empathy, he would cut his trip short and return immediately. A leader with an ounce of patriotism wouldn’t need to be begged to show up in times of crisis,” Atiku added.
Atiku took a swipe at Tinubu’s political handling of other domestic issues. He said, “Not a contrived political emergency like what Tinubu declared in Rivers for partisan gain — this is a national collapse. So when, exactly, will Tinubu declare a state of emergency on his own disastrous presidency?”
