Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the rescue of the abducted Oyo schoolchildren and teachers but raised concerns over what he described as the political timing of their release.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it was disturbing that the victims regained their freedom on the same day the national leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) launched its door-to-door campaign for the 2027 presidential election.
While commending the Nigerian military for successfully rescuing the victims, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of prioritising re-election politics over the country’s worsening security situation. He argued that ensuring the safe return of the abducted children should have taken precedence over political activities.
He said the government ought to have focused on rescuing the victims before embarking on campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The rescue of innocent schoolchildren from the hands of terrorists is a victory for our gallant troops and a source of hope for every Nigerian family. They deserve the gratitude of the nation.
No serious government should be consumed by the politics of re-election while innocent schoolchildren have remained in the custody of kidnappers for weeks. The first campaign of any responsible administration must be the campaign to rescue its citizens, restore security and reassure anxious families. Politics can wait; the lives of innocent children cannot. Yesterday should have been dedicated to the war room, not the campaign room.
“The commander-in-chief is more than a constitutional title; it is a moral responsibility. In moments of national triumph and national grief, Nigerians expect to see their president embody that office. Leadership is not exercised only behind closed doors; it must also be seen, heard and felt by both the citizens and those who threaten them,” he stated.
The statement comes a day after the abducted Oyo pupils and teachers were rescued by security forces, coinciding with the launch of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s door-to-door campaign for the 2027 presidential election.
