Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President, took a swipe at President Bola Tinubu on Thursday regarding his condolence trip to Plateau State, characterizing it as a worrisome sign of a widening gap between those in power and the hardships faced by everyday Nigerians.
Through a press release distributed in Abuja by Phrank Shaibu, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Atiku voiced significant worry over how the President handled the aftermath of the Plateau killings, arguing that the visit lacked the genuine compassion and immediate action the tragedy required.
The prominent political figure pointed out that the situation in Plateau once again revealed “a disturbing and unacceptable approach to national tragedy.”
He stated, “It is both shocking and deeply insensitive that several days after the gruesome killings of innocent citizens, the President’s so-called ‘on-the-spot assessment’ was reduced to a brief stop at the foot of his aircraft, never extending beyond the airport, never reaching the grieving communities, and never touching the pain of the victims.
“Even more troubling is the impression that this fleeting visit was hurriedly curtailed to allow the President to proceed to Lagos for the Easter holidays, a decision that reflects a deeply troubling prioritisation in the face of national grief.
“While families continue to mourn those slaughtered on Palm Sunday, the President chose to convert what ought to have been a solemn visit into a political spectacle, meeting party loyalists in Jos under the thin guise of official engagement. This is not leadership; it is indifference dressed as protocol.”
In his view, the President’s conduct during the Plateau trip is part of a frequent trend of responses to national disasters that are more about politics than empathy.
He pointed back to a similar condolence mission to Benue State in June 2025, claiming it bypassed the most devastated areas to become a political rally, and argued that this pattern indicates a deliberate style of governance rather than a one-time mistake.
“In Plateau, the President neither visited the bereaved families nor the injured receiving treatment in hospitals. He offered no concrete policy direction, no decisive security intervention, and no reassurance that such horrors would not recur.
“Instead, he staged a meet-and-greet within the confines of the airport, surrounded by politicians, traditional rulers, and party operatives—far removed from the anguish of the people. This is not only inappropriate; it is shameful. A leader who cannot stand with his people in their darkest hour cannot convincingly claim to be fighting for their safety,” he remarked.
Atiku’s critique surfaced shortly after President Tinubu’s trip to Plateau State following the brutal attacks last Sunday in Jos, specifically in the Angwan Rukuba district, where the death toll reached at least 27.
During his time there, the President spoke with a mother whose grief had gained national attention after she was filmed holding her deceased son, as well as other survivors of the violence.
Calling her by name, Tinubu recognized her immense pain and promised the victims’ families that the government would provide aid, while admitting that no amount of support could truly make up for the lives lost.
Represented by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President labeled the killings as “barbaric and cowardly,” promising that the perpetrators would face the full weight of the law.
The President was greeted upon his arrival in Jos by Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, alongside Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other top-ranking officials.