Presidency Reacts to Atiku’s Demand for Tinubu’s Resignation

The Presidency has strongly criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent call for the resignation of President Bola Tinubu amid growing security concerns in Nigeria, labeling the statement as “reckless.” In response, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, asserted that Tinubu remains actively engaged in addressing the country’s security challenges.

Atiku, who competed against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, accused the President of neglecting security issues, stating that Tinubu was “playing fiddle while Nigeria is drowning in the ocean of insecurity.” The former Vice President highlighted incidents such as kidnappings in Abuja and attacks on monarchs in Ekiti.

In defense of President Tinubu, Onanuga emphasized that the Commander-in-Chief had transparently communicated his private visit to France, including the return date. The Presidency stressed Tinubu’s continuous monitoring of domestic developments, exemplified by his involvement in the inauguration of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage during his stay in France.

The statement further rebuked Atiku, suggesting that his comments lacked the decorum expected from an elder statesman. It urged Atiku to recognize Tinubu’s commitment to addressing security challenges and emphasized the President’s continuous coordination with officials and security chiefs to combat criminality nationwide. The Presidency concluded that if Atiku genuinely cared about security matters, he would acknowledge Tinubu’s efforts rather than engaging in what was described as “cheap politics.”