Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is set to visit the United States to engage policy and institutional stakeholders on what he described as Nigeria’s deepening security, economic and governance crisis.
His Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the trip is aimed at drawing international attention to the worsening state of affairs in Nigeria and the urgent need for institutional response.
According to Ibe, Atiku will use the engagement to spotlight the country’s growing insecurity, especially the persistent violence across the North-West, North-East and parts of the Middle Belt, as well as rising cases of kidnapping and organised criminality nationwide.
He said the former vice president believes the scale of violence now points to a wider failure of governance and the state’s inability to carry out its basic duty of protecting lives and property.
Atiku also plans to raise concerns over worsening economic hardship, pointing to surging inflation, naira depreciation and the sharp decline in the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians, which he said have pushed millions deeper into hardship.
He blamed the economic strain on policy inconsistency and the absence of clear direction, warning that public confidence in governance continues to weaken as living conditions worsen across the country.
On democratic governance, Atiku is expected to raise concerns over declining trust in public institutions and warn that any attempt to undermine electoral credibility ahead of the next election cycle could further destabilise the country.
Responding to likely criticism over taking Nigeria’s internal challenges to an international audience, Atiku maintained that discussing the country’s condition abroad is not an act of disloyalty but a necessary step, given Nigeria’s strategic importance and global relevance.
He also urged the Federal Government to urgently reset its priorities, rebuild public trust and adopt clearer strategies to tackle insecurity, economic decline and institutional fragility.
Atiku said Nigeria is at a critical point and warned that the country must confront its growing challenges with urgency or risk sliding deeper into instability.
