“When Will Tinubu Declare a State of Emergency on His Disastrous Presidency?” – Atiku Blasts President Over France Trip

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu for remaining in France despite growing insecurity across Nigeria, questioning when the president would “declare a state of emergency on his own disastrous presidency.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Atiku condemned Tinubu’s continued absence from the country, citing the deadly attacks in Plateau and Benue states, as well as the resurgence of Boko Haram activity in Borno. He described the current security situation as a “full-blown state of emergency” and criticised Tinubu for leaving the country at such a critical time.

Tinubu departed for France on April 2 for what the presidency described as a two-week “working visit” to review his administration’s progress. The trip has sparked backlash from opposition leaders, who argue that the president should be at home addressing the security crisis.

Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi earlier in the day also criticised the president, calling him a “retreating president” and urging him to return to Nigeria to provide leadership.

Atiku, in his statement, described the France trip as a “vacation cloaked in official jargon,” accusing Tinubu of dereliction of duty. “Had this absurd announcement come just a day earlier, Nigerians would have dismissed it as an April Fool’s joke,” he said. “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.”

He criticised the presidency’s attempt to clarify that the trip was not for medical reasons, asking what justification exists for “gallivanting across Europe while Nigeria bleeds.” He noted that Tinubu will have spent a total of 59 days in France since assuming office by the time he returns.

“While Tinubu dines under chandeliers in the land of good governance, the country he governs is spiraling into chaos,” Atiku said, referencing the escalating violence and growing poverty in Nigeria. He described Tinubu’s continued absence as “dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale.”

Calling on the president to return immediately, Atiku stressed that nothing Tinubu is doing in France couldn’t be done from within Nigeria. He also took a swipe at the president’s declaration of a political emergency in Rivers State, saying the real emergency is the current national crisis.

“At what point will Tinubu declare a state of emergency on his own presidency?” Atiku asked, urging immediate action in the face of worsening insecurity and economic hardship.