Atiku Faults Tinubu’s Three-Week Europe Vacation

ABUJA— The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to embark on a three-week vacation in Europe amid what he described as serious economic and security challenges facing Nigeria.

Atiku made his position known in a post on his X handle on Sunday, shortly after the Presidency announced that Tinubu had departed Abuja for Europe as part of his annual leave.

The former Vice-President said the President’s absence, coming while Vice-President Kashim Shettima was also outside the country on official duty, had created what he described as a “disturbing vacuum of political leadership.”

“Nigeria may not be facing a constitutional vacuum today, but there is a disturbing vacuum of political leadership,” Atiku wrote.

He said there was a fundamental difference between the overseas travels of a private citizen and the responsibilities of a sitting President.

Atiku said Nigerians were contending with high petrol prices, food insecurity, rising transport fares and worsening insecurity, arguing that the circumstances required the President’s attention at home.

He likened Tinubu’s decision to leave the country at such a time to a father leaving his family while his house was on fire.

“Leadership is not merely the constitutional right to occupy an office; it is the judgment to know when your country needs you at home,” he said.

“A father may travel when all is well. But when his roof is burning and his family is trapped inside, he does not pick up his suitcase and head for the airport.”

Atiku said the issue was not whether a President should rest or travel, but the timing of Tinubu’s absence.

“It is that Nigeria is burning, and the President has chosen a boarding pass over the fire extinguisher,” he said.

He further said millions of Nigerians were being weighed down by economic hardship while the President travelled abroad.

“Millions of Nigerians are being grounded by hardship while their President is airborne. The people can barely afford to move, but the President keeps moving,” Atiku said.

He also accused the Tinubu administration of making the country increasingly expensive, promising that he would make Nigeria affordable again if elected president.

Meanwhile, the Presidency said Tinubu’s first destination was London, United Kingdom, and that he was expected to return to Nigeria after the working vacation to join the campaign ahead of the January 2027 general elections.

The statement was issued on Sunday by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The Presidency’s announcement followed Tinubu’s departure from Abuja on Sunday, while Shettima was in Luanda, Angola, representing the President at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly.