The Presidency has criticised former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for allegedly failing to acknowledge the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, accusing him of being vocal during the abduction but silent after the victims regained their freedom. Atiku has since rejected the allegation, insisting he publicly welcomed the rescue and commended the security agencies.
A fresh war of words has erupted between the Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
The Presidency, through Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, accused the opposition leader of failing to celebrate the release of the victims despite repeatedly criticising the Federal Government while they remained in captivity.
According to Onanuga, nearly 18 hours after security agencies secured the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers, Atiku had not publicly reacted to the development.
The presidential aide questioned whether the former vice president was “waiting for bad news” before commenting, arguing that national tragedies and successes should not be viewed through partisan political lenses.
Onanuga contrasted Atiku’s alleged silence with the reaction of Peter Obi, whom he commended for publicly congratulating the security agencies and expressing gratitude over the victims’ rescue.
The comments followed the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area after spending about 56 days in captivity.
However, Atiku has pushed back against the Presidency’s criticism. Through his spokesman, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said he had already issued a statement welcoming the rescue, praising the Armed Forces and other security agencies, while also urging continued efforts to free other Nigerians still being held by kidnappers.
Shaibu accused the Presidency of ignoring publicly available information or deliberately overlooking Atiku’s earlier statement.
Responding to the Presidency, Atiku maintained that he had released a statement titled “A Nation at War Needs a Commander-in-Chief, Not a Campaigner-in-Chief,” in which he welcomed the rescue and congratulated the security agencies.
He also urged the Federal Government to sustain rescue operations for other victims still in captivity across different parts of the country, insisting that one successful operation should not overshadow Nigeria’s broader security challenges.
The exchange highlights the increasingly heated political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 general election, with both the Presidency and opposition figures seeking to shape public perception of the government’s handling of insecurity. While both sides agree that the safe return of the Oyo pupils and teachers is welcome, they remain sharply divided over the political narrative surrounding the rescue.