According to a report by The Vanguard on Friday, April 10, 2026, The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a strong criticism against President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of demonstrating what it described as a worrying pattern of “absentee leadership” following his recent public appearances in Lagos and Plateau States.
In a statement issued on Friday by Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to the former vice president, the presidency was accused of behaving in a manner that is “disturbing, unacceptable, and lacking in empathy,” particularly in response to recent security incidents across the country.
A key focus of the criticism was President Tinubu’s visit to Plateau State in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack. According to Shaibu, the president’s stopover in Jos was extremely short and failed to reflect the seriousness of the tragedy. He alleged that Tinubu spent “barely 10 minutes” at the airport before leaving, a move he said was widely interpreted as showing little regard for the victims and the scale of the incident.
The statement further argued that the explanation given for the brief visit—that the president needed to proceed to Lagos for official assignments—had been undermined by subsequent developments.
Shaibu claimed that the president’s two-day working visit to Lagos State has not reflected active governance engagement. He alleged that since arriving in the state, Tinubu has largely remained out of public view, with minimal visible participation in official duties associated with the visit.
He also referenced major official programmes that took place during the period, including the commissioning of the Opebi–Mende–Ojota Link Bridge and the inauguration of a Multi-Agency Complex. According to him, the president did not personally attend these events, instead delegating representation to the Senate President, whom he described as a close political associate.
The Atiku camp further linked what it called the president’s “distance from public duty” to broader national concerns, including recent advisory measures reportedly issued by the United States government regarding its personnel in Nigeria.
Shaibu argued that in a period marked by rising insecurity, repeated terrorist incidents, and increasing international concern, such perceived detachment from leadership responsibilities is “alarming and indefensible.”
He went on to describe the administration as one that appears “disconnected, inactive, and alarmingly casual” in handling the serious demands of governance.
Concluding the statement, Shaibu urged President Tinubu to urgently reassess his approach to leadership, increase his direct involvement in state affairs, and demonstrate stronger commitment to addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, warning that anything less would represent a failure to the Nigerian people.
