Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress, has rebuked the federal government for claiming he remained silent after the rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State. Through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku labeled the accusation a reckless falsehood that ignores clear documented evidence.
The controversy began when Bayo Onanuga, an aide to President Bola Tinubu, criticized Atiku for allegedly failing to commend the government and security forces nearly 18 hours after the victims were freed. However, Atiku pointed out that he had already released a statement titled ‘A Nation at War Needs a Commander-in-Chief, Not a Campaigner-in-Chief’ earlier that day.
In that initial statement, Atiku praised the bravery of the armed forces and welcomed the release of the pupils. He simultaneously urged the government to maintain pressure on criminals to ensure other kidnapped citizens, including those in Borno, are also returned to safety. He argued that while the Oyo rescue was a positive development, it should not serve as an excuse for the government to stop working until every captive is liberated.
Atiku contended that the presidency’s attack was a diversionary tactic. He stated that he refused to applaud a leader who focused on political campaigning rather than personally addressing the nation during a security success. Ultimately, Atiku urged the government to focus on rescuing all remaining hostages instead of using propaganda to target the opposition.
