Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a blistering critique of the Tinubu administration’s newly rebranded “Nigeria First” mantra, calling it a deceptive public relations gimmick that lacks substance and sincerity.
In a statement issued on Wednesday through his Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President dismissed the policy, recently touted at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, as a hollow slogan that fails to reflect the realities of governance under President Bola Tinubu. According to him, Nigerians have grown tired of “hollow speeches” and now demand concrete actions.
“The Tinubu administration’s latest ‘Nigeria First’ mantra, paraded through the Federal Executive Council, is nothing but another tired PR stunt—designed to deceive, not deliver,” Shaibu said.
The spokesperson challenged President Tinubu to lead by example, urging him to forgo foreign luxury and embrace locally made products. “We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord, or any made-in-Nigeria car. That single act will do more to promote local industry than a thousand policy memos,” he argued.
Shaibu didn’t spare members of the Federal Executive Council either, taking aim at what he described as their “shameless” obsession with imported luxury cars. “Let’s see the ministers—those shameless Rolls-Royce connoisseurs—sweat it out in Nigerian-made vehicles too. Or is ‘Nigeria First’ only for the masses?” he queried.
Highlighting what he called glaring double standards, Shaibu also took issue with the President’s frequent travels abroad, both for leisure and medical care. He insisted that if Tinubu truly believed in the Nigeria he governs, his vacations should take place within the country’s tourist gems like Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls.
“And speaking of double standards, it’s time Mr. President shelves his love affair with Paris and London. If he’s serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be at Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. Nigeria is beautiful—unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise,” Shaibu remarked.
On the issue of medical tourism, Shaibu issued a stark demand: “We demand that President Tinubu—champion of ‘Nigeria First’—conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the ₦41 billion Akwa Ibom world-class hospital built by the uncommon transformer in Uyo. If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief.”
He criticized what he described as the government’s “addiction to foreign luxuries” while imposing economic hardship on Nigerians. “This government’s addiction to foreign luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians is the height of insincerity. True leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites—it’s setting the tone by example,” he said.
Concluding the statement, Shaibu expressed deep skepticism about the Tinubu-led administration’s intentions and called for genuine patriotism through action, not words. “Nigeria deserves real commitment, not this never-ending charade,” he said.
As the debate over the government’s economic policies continues, Shaibu’s comments are likely to further fuel scrutiny over the disparity between the administration’s rhetoric and its conduct.
