Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has voiced criticism over the Federal Government's approach to the June 12 Democracy Day celebration, arguing it missed a crucial opportunity to acknowledge victims of insecurity. Speaking on Trust TV News, Shaibu said the event should have placed greater emphasis on families affected by kidnappings and violence rather than showcasing government accomplishments. He pointed to the silence of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on recent abductions, particularly those involving schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states, including pupils in early learning centres. According to Shaibu, no public statement of empathy has been issued by Tinubu to affected families enduring prolonged anguish. He recalled former First Lady Patience Jonathan's widely shared comment, "There is God o," during a past national crisis, which he said resonated because it conveyed emotional solidarity. Shaibu described the recent distribution of vehicles at the Presidential Villa as tone-deaf, given the ongoing suffering of many Nigerian families. He maintained that June 12 should also symbolise unity with victims of insecurity. "Many families have spent weeks grieving, praying and hoping for the safe return of their loved ones, yet there has been no public statement of empathy from the First Lady," Shaibu stated. He added that if Atiku Abubakar were president, he would have marked the day by visiting affected families in states like Oyo and Borno.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

Phrank Shaibu highlighted that Oluremi Tinubu has not issued a public statement of empathy regarding recent abductions of schoolchildren, unlike Patience Jonathan's vocal response during a past crisis. The absence of a visible gesture from the First Lady, while vehicles were distributed at the Presidential Villa, raises questions about priorities during national distress. A leader's silence in moments of public trauma can become its own message. The comparison to Jonathan's "There is God o" remark underscores a perceived emotional distance in the current administration's public posture.

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