The political friction between the Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar intensified following the rescue of the 44 pupils and teachers abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The dispute began when the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement criticizing Atiku for maintaining a “curious silence” nearly 18 hours after the victims regained their freedom. Onanuga claimed that the former vice president had previously “weaponized” the 56-day abduction crisis to attack the administration but suddenly fell quiet when the security agencies successfully rescued the victims without paying a ransom.

The Presidency contrasted Atiku’s silence with the response of fellow opposition figure Peter Obi, who had publicly acknowledged the rescue.

In a swift counter-response issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the Presidency’s claims as a reckless distortion of facts that completely ignored documentary evidence.

Atiku revealed that he had already issued a comprehensive statement regarding the rescue, titled “A Nation at War Needs a Commander-in-Chief, Not a Campaigner-in-Chief.

” In that earlier document, he had explicitly welcomed the safe return of the schoolchildren and teachers while praising the professionalism, sacrifice, and gallantry of the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the police.

Atiku fired back with sharp criticisms of his own, arguing that the Presidency’s media handlers were either too lazy to verify publicly available press releases or deliberately chose to ignore his statement because it contained uncomfortable truths regarding the administration’s priorities. While celebrating the security agencies, Atiku explained that he deliberately declined to congratulate President Bola Tinubu directly.

He argued that the administration continued to treat governance and deep security challenges with political theatricality and campaign-style celebrations rather than the solemn urgency required of a Commander-in-Chief. He also noted that the responsibility for announcing the rescue was left to a presidential spokesman while Tinubu engaged in partisan political activities.

Furthermore, Atiku reminded the government that while the Oyo rescue was a major relief, numerous other Nigerians including children recently kidnapped in Borno State remain in captivity and deserve equal focus. Ultimately, Atiku urged the Federal Government to deploy its vast resources toward addressing the nation’s severe security vulnerabilities instead of dedicating energy to tracking opposition commentary and spreading political propaganda.