Atiku: Tinubu's scorecard 'soaked in blood,' pledges support for soldiers' salaries

Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu's administration, stating that the government's performance is "soaked in blood" due to escalating insecurity. Abubakar pointed to reports indicating that 5,091 Nigerians lost their lives in violent incidents across the country within a three-month period. He described this figure as a damning indictment of the Tinubu administration's failure to uphold the constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.

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Tinubu’s scorecard was soaked in blood.

In a statement released Sunday, Abubakar, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, emphasized the human cost of the ongoing violence. "Behind every number is a Nigerian, whose life was cut short, a family thrown into mourning, children deprived of parents and communities condemned to fear," the statement read. He argued that Nigeria's worsening insecurity is intrinsically linked to the current administration's fiscal indiscipline, wasteful spending, and poor budget implementation.

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The situation reflected that President Bola Tinubu’s scorecard was soaked in blood.

Abubakar contended that the administration's approach to public funds, treating the treasury like a "private purse" and squandering resources on questionable priorities, directly undermines national security. He asserted that this pattern impedes the capacity of the armed forces and other security agencies to respond effectively to threats. "You cannot run the public treasury as though it were a private purse, squander scarce resources on questionable priorities and then expect soldiers and other security personnel on the front lines to perform miracles," he stated.

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Behind every number is a Nigerian, whose life was cut short, a family thrown into mourning, children deprived of parents and communities condemned to fear.

While welcoming the federal government's recent announcement to increase the salaries of armed forces members, Abubakar cautioned that improved remuneration is only a partial solution. He stressed that boosting morale and operational effectiveness requires more than just better pay. "Our soldiers deserve better pay, but morale is about much more than salaries. They require adequate equipment, operational funding, timely allowances, proper welfare for their families and the assurance that the government they defend is as committed to their mission as they are," he added. Abubakar called for a government that prioritizes cutting waste, eliminating dubious expenditures, and significantly improving budget implementation, especially for defense.

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Five thousand and ninety-one reported killings in just three months should trouble the conscience of any government.