Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has vehemently criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Plateau State, describing it as a stark revelation of the president’s misplaced priorities amidst rampant insecurity and suffering across Nigeria. Atiku expressed deep disappointment that despite the escalating violence and the loss of thousands of innocent lives nationwide, President Tinubu has consistently failed to visit any of the affected states to commiserate with grieving citizens.

In statements issued on Saturday, Atiku highlighted that President Tinubu chose to visit Plateau—a region severely impacted by terror—not to offer solace to victims of recent attacks, but to attend a social event: specifically, the funeral service of Mama Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda. This decision, according to Atiku, reflects a sad prioritization and a blatant mockery of leadership, particularly as families in Plateau continue to mourn their loved ones.

Atiku condemned the perceived insensitivity, stating, “Between the APC National Chairman and his President, what we witnessed today is a heartless exhibition of disregard for empathy, compassion, and the dignity of human life.” He further lambasted the APC-led government for its continued neglect of victims of violence throughout the North Central region, which has endured some of the most horrific waves of violence in recent history, spanning states from Benue to Niger and Kwara.

Recalling an earlier instance, Atiku noted that even during a symbolic visit to Benue State in June, President Tinubu reportedly avoided Yelewata, described as the epicenter of a massacre, choosing instead to conclude his trip comfortably in Makurdi. Atiku drew a parallel, stating that Tinubu is now in Plateau State “not to console the bereaved or reassure the broken, but to celebrate and make merry with his party elite while the people mourn.”

The former vice president concluded by asserting that President Tinubu’s actions send an unambiguous message to Nigerians about his leadership style: “this is a President who would rather feast than feel—a leader who finds pleasure where the people find pain.” Atiku warned that the Nigerian populace is observing these choices and will remember them, implying future electoral consequences for such perceived lack of empathy and commitment to their plights.