Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has berated President Bola Tinubu for attending the funeral of the late Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in Jos, Plateau State.

Atiku, in a statement issued on Saturday, described Tinubu’s action as insensitive, arguing that the President has failed to show empathy to Nigerians who are victims of insecurity across the country.

The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate said while Plateau residents continue to bury loved ones lost in terrorist attacks, Tinubu chose to grace a “political funeral” instead of commiserating with grieving citizens.

“With large swathes of the country still under siege from unrelenting insecurity and thousands of innocent lives lost, it is deeply unfortunate that President Bola Tinubu has not, for once, found it worthy to visit any of the affected states to commiserate with the grieving citizens,” Atiku stated.

He added that Tinubu’s decision to attend a party event in Plateau rather than visit communities ravaged by violence reflects a disconnect between his leadership and ordinary Nigerians.

According to Atiku, the APC-led government has shown “a heartless exhibition of disregard for empathy, compassion, and the dignity of human life.”

He further recalled that during Tinubu’s symbolic visit to Benue State in June, the President avoided Yelewata, the epicentre of a massacre, choosing instead to end his trip in Makurdi.

“The message could not be clearer: this is a President who would rather feast than feel – a leader who finds pleasure where the people find pain,” the former Vice President said, stressing that Nigerians are watching and will not forget.

Mrs. Nana Lydia Yilwatda, who died at the age of 83, was buried on Saturday in Jos with President Tinubu in attendance, alongside several top APC officials.