Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has used the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary to send a powerful message of hope to citizens while condemning what he described as the failures of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku, in his goodwill message, lamented that it is “tragic” that a nation blessed with vast human and material resources has reduced millions of its people to “refugees and beggars in their fatherland.” He said the welfare and security of citizens should be the priority of any responsible government, but Nigerians are today left hungry, unsafe, and abandoned.
“Every responsible government holds the welfare and security of its citizens as supreme. But what we have today is an administration that has abandoned its people. Hunger is killing Nigerians, bandits are massacring communities, yet President Tinubu and his cabinet stand by, unmoved and uncaring,” Atiku stated.
Despite the hardship, the former Vice President urged Nigerians not to give up on democracy, stressing that the ballot remains the most powerful tool for change.
“The beauty of democracy lies in the power of the ballot. Oppressed and battered as our people may feel today, they will have the chance to sweep away this inept government at the next polls. That is the power no cabal can take away from the people,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey at 65, Atiku noted that the country remains “a giant moving painfully slow on feet of clay”—a result of decades of poor leadership and wasteful governance. However, he expressed optimism that with the right leadership, Nigeria could still rise from failed governance to reclaim its rightful place among the comity of nations.
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain concluded by wishing citizens a peaceful celebration:
“I wish all Nigerians a happy 65th Independence Day anniversary celebration.”
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