Atiku Abubakar has fired back at the presidency telling them to “read before attacking” after being falsely accused of staying silent on the rescue of abducted Oyo schoolchildren.
The ADC presidential candidate described the claim as “a reckless distortion of facts that collapses under documentary evidence.”
The drama unfolded when Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga slammed Atiku for allegedly not reacting within 18 hours of the Oriire pupils’ release.
But Atiku’s camp hit back hard, releasing a statement through spokesman Phrank Shaibu that read:
“It is astonishing that a presidency with limitless public resources could accuse someone of silence without carrying out the most basic verification. Either they failed to read our statement because they were too lazy, or they deliberately ignored it because it exposed uncomfortable truths.”
RECEIPTS DROPPED
Atiku’s team produced receipts a full statement titled ‘A Nation at War Needs a Commander-in-Chief, Not a Campaigner-in-Chief’ where he:
· Welcomed the children’s rescue
· Praised the Armed Forces’ gallantry
· Called for sustained efforts to free ALL captives
The former VP’s earlier words:
“The rescue of innocent schoolchildren is a victory for our gallant troops and a source of hope for every Nigerian family. They deserve the gratitude of the nation.”
BUT ATIKU DIDN’T STOP THERE.
He slammed the presidency for celebrating one rescue while ignoring the bigger picture:
“One successful rescue must not become an excuse for self-congratulation. A nation cannot celebrate while other parents still go to bed not knowing whether their children are alive or dead.”
His parting shot?
“A government secure in its performance does not invent silence where there was a documented public statement. Nigerians deserve a presidency focused on rescuing every citizen still in captivity not one preoccupied with monitoring and misrepresenting the opposition.”
THE BOTTOM LINE: Atiku said he praised the troops but refused to applaud a “commander-in-chief who remained publicly preoccupied with partisan politics” while children still rot in captivity across Borno and beyond.
