The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to publicly address what he described as lingering concerns surrounding his age, family background and academic credentials.
Atiku, through a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that Nigerians deserve clear explanations on issues relating to the President’s personal records, stressing that transparency is a fundamental requirement of leadership.
He maintained that public office holders must be accountable to citizens and should not regard transparency as an optional response to criticism.
According to Atiku, effective leadership is measured not only by the exercise of power but also by the ability to inspire public confidence through openness and accountability.
He said, “Leadership is not simply about exercising power. It is about inspiring confidence. Transparency is not a concession to critics; it is an obligation owed to citizens.
“History does not merely remember the scandals that confronted governments. It remembers how governments responded to them. It remembers whether they chose transparency over opacity, accountability over expediency and truth over convenience.”
The former Vice President made the remarks while reacting to the controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), insisting that investigations into public controversies must be thorough and impartial.
Atiku argued that the Tinubu administration has an opportunity to demonstrate that no individual is beyond scrutiny and that every matter affecting public trust should be subjected to proper investigation.
He also referenced the suspension of a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs over alleged financial misconduct, alongside what he described as unresolved transparency concerns involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
In addition, Atiku pointed to allegations of crude oil theft, spending on refinery rehabilitation, procurement-related controversies and reported budget irregularities as issues requiring greater accountability.
According to him, failure to openly address such matters would reinforce public perception that the government relies on silence rather than transparency when confronted with controversies.
“Anything less will only deepen the growing perception that official silence has become this government’s preferred instrument for managing scandals instead of resolving them.
“History teaches that governments are not destroyed by allegations; they are diminished by their refusal to confront them,” Atiku stated.
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