The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement 2027 has faulted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for criticising President Bola Tinubu over his ongoing vacation abroad.

The movement described Mr Atiku’s remarks as an attempt to turn a routine presidential vacation into a political controversy, stressing that the President’s temporary absence did not amount to a leadership vacuum.

This is contained in a statement by its National Coordinator, Sunday Asuku, to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday.

The group urged Mr Atiku to focus on presenting his political programme to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The movement described Mr Atiku as a “serial presidential contestant without direction,” arguing that Nigerians deserved to know his concrete road map for addressing the country’s challenges after several attempts to occupy the presidency since 1993.

It also accused the former vice president of inconsistency on fuel subsidy, recalling that he campaigned in 2023 on a promise to remove the subsidy but was now advocating its restoration.

According to the group, such a position can be viewed as an attempt to exploit the hardship being experienced by Nigerians for political advantage.

“After contesting the presidency repeatedly since 1993, Atiku should be telling Nigerians what he intends to do differently, rather than spending his time attacking President Tinubu,” the statement urge.

The movement said Mr Atiku should explain whether his current position on fuel subsidy represented a genuine policy proposal or an attempt to win political support by appealing to Nigerians affected by economic hardship.

It reminded Mr Atiku that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had commenced preparations for the 2027 elections, urging him to take his campaign to Nigerians and explain his plans for the economy, security, and employment.

“INEC has rolled out the timetable. Atiku should go out and campaign and tell Nigerians what he has for them. Smearing the name of President Tinubu because he has gone on vacation will not work,” it said.

The group maintained that presidents and other world leaders routinely proceed on vacation without implying that governance has been abandoned.

It added that Nigeria had functioning institutions and officials responsible for ensuring continuity in governance whenever the President “is away.”

The movement urged Nigerians to assess Mr Tinubu based on his policies and performance rather than political rhetoric.

It also challenged opposition politicians to present credible alternatives to the administration instead of focusing on what it described as attempts to exploit the country’s challenges for electoral gain.

(NAN)