Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the condolence visit of Bola Tinubu to Plateau State, describing it as a reflection of a growing disconnect between leadership and citizens.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed concern over the President’s response to the recent killings, arguing that the visit lacked empathy and urgency.
He said the development exposed “a disturbing and unacceptable approach to national tragedy.”
“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… This is not leadership; it is indifference dressed as protocol.”
Atiku further argued that the President’s approach mirrors a pattern of what he described as politically driven responses to national tragedies, referencing a similar visit to Benue State in 2025.
“In Plateau, the President neither visited the bereaved families nor the injured receiving treatment in hospitals… A leader who cannot stand with his people in their darkest hour cannot convincingly claim to be fighting for their safety,” he added.
The remarks come shortly after President Tinubu’s visit to Plateau following deadly attacks in Jos, particularly in the Angwan Rukuba area, where several lives were lost.
During the visit, the President met with victims and assured affected families of government support, describing the attacks as “barbaric and cowardly” and promising that those responsible would be brought to justice.
