The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to return home without further delay.
The president is currently in London, the United Kingdom on a state visit, on the invitation of King Charles.
The ADC made the call on Tuesday, in reaction to the multiple bomb blasts that rocked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Monday night.
The blasts claimed no fewer than 23 lives, hundreds injured and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.
But in a statement by the spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party urged President Tinubu to focus more on security and less on politics.
The party condemned the blasts
and expressed sympathy with the victims and their families.
The ADC raised concerns about what it described as a lack of leadership focus at a critical moment.
It noted that President Tinubu is currently outside the country while senior officials responsible for national security are reportedly engaged in partisan political activities.
The ADC insisted that the protection of lives and property must take precedence over political distractions and diplomatic ceremonies.
It called on President Tinubu to urgently return to the country and attend to his primary job of protecting lives.
The statement said in part, “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the people of Maiduguri, a city that has endured more than its fair share of pain over the years. Terrorism anywhere in Nigeria is an attack on all Nigerians. At moments like this, the country must stand together with the people who have been affected.
“We commend the courage of first responders and security personnel who are working to assist the injured and restore calm. But this tragic incident also raises the persistent questions about the state of security in our country.
“Maiduguri, which in recent years had begun to experience a measure of stability after the darkest days of the insurgency, should not be returning to a situation where coordinated bomb attacks once again threaten the safety of ordinary citizens going about their daily lives.
“Moments like this demand the full and undivided attention of the nation’s leadership. It is therefore troubling that the President is currently outside the country at a time when such a serious attack on national security occurred.
“At a time when Nigerian soldiers and civilians are being wilfully killed by terrorists, those charged with protecting the country are focused on politics of self-succession.
“The National Security Adviser is going after opposition figures and calling bandits his brothers, while the Minister of Defence is on television planning the APC national convention.
“This is not leadership. It is a dangerous distraction, and it is costing lives. In case this government has forgotten, those being killed by terrorists are not just numbers.
“Those soldiers being mowed down by bandits are people’s children, husbands, fathers and families. In any serious country, a devastating security breach would command the full attention of government. Leaders would return home, address the nation, and take responsibility.
“Instead, President Bola Tinubu is abroad, exchanging pleasantries with the King and Queen of England while Nigerians mourn and soldiers are being buried.”
The ADC further noted that not a word had come from the President for the victims or the brave soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of Nigeria.
It reminded the president of his oath of office, which states that the primary duty of government is the protection of lives, regretting however, that this duty is certainly not being met by the government.
“The protection of lives and property is the most basic responsibility of any government. It cannot be treated as secondary to political distractions or competing priorities.
“The ADC therefore calls on President Tinubu to return immediately to the country and show, for once, that he cares about something else other than his politics.
“We also think it is about time the government started to take full responsibilities for every life lost that could have been protected by paying compensation to the families of victims, whether military or civilians.
“Although no amount of money can fully compensate for a lost life, but by penalising itself this way, government would have started to accept responsibility.
“It is no longer enough for government to merely issue condolences and condemnations. It is its first job to protect lives. And Nigeria cannot continue on a path where the loss of lives becomes routine.
“We are only in the third month of the year, and already thousands of Nigerians have been killed in violent attacks across the country, while the President continues to make merry, enjoying the sweetness of the only thing he truly cares about: politics. This is unacceptable, as it is condemnable.”
