Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on his “disastrous presidency,” accusing him of abandoning Nigeria during a time of crisis. In a scathing statement issued by his spokesman, Paul Ibe, on Wednesday, Atiku described the country as being in a “full-blown state of emergency” while Tinubu is on a “so-called working visit” in France.
Atiku criticized Tinubu’s trip, which began on April 2, 2025, as a thinly veiled vacation, dismissing the presidency’s claim that it was not a medical trip. “What justification is there for gallivanting across Europe while Nigeria bleeds?” the statement read, highlighting Tinubu’s reported 59 days spent in France since assuming office. Atiku called the trip “contemptuous” and a misuse of scarce national resources, questioning why Tinubu could not conduct his work from Nigeria.
The former vice president pointed to escalating violence and poverty across the country, noting that Plateau State has become a “killing field” with over 100 lives lost in recent attacks, while Benue State faces ongoing bloodshed and Boko Haram seizes territory. “This isn’t just negligence. It’s dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale,” Atiku charged, urging Tinubu to cut his trip short and address the nation’s crises.
Atiku further accused Tinubu of neglecting the constitutional duty to prioritize the security and welfare of Nigerians, contrasting the president’s “partisan” declaration of emergency in Rivers State with the broader national collapse. “When will Tinubu declare a state of emergency on his own disastrous presidency?” he demanded.
The statement has intensified political tensions, with Atiku’s remarks underscoring growing frustration over Tinubu’s leadership and frequent foreign trips amid Nigeria’s mounting challenges.