FORMER Vice President, Atiku Abubakar launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, following the shocking exclusion of Nigeria from an upcoming high-level meeting hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The summit, which will take place on July 9, 2025, at the White House, is centered around exploring “commercial opportunities” with select African nations but notably, Nigeria did not make the list.
Trump is set to host leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal, a mix of West and Central African countries to discuss bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
The basis for their selection has not been made public, but the absence of Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy and most populous country raised eyebrows both at home and abroad.
For Atiku, the snub was more than diplomatic oversight. It was, in his words, a damning “verdict” on the state of Nigeria’s international standing under the current administration.
“Not the continent’s most populous nation, the Giant of Africa, which once boasted an economy worth $500 billion and ranked among the world’s five fastest-growing economies before the cancer called the All Progressives Congress (APC) inflicted this blessed nation,” Atiku said in a statement.
He described Nigeria’s exclusion as “scathing in symbolism and staggering in implication,” declaring it a direct consequence of President Tinubu’s governance style, which he termed “chaotic and divisive.”
“This isn’t about calendar errors or diplomatic red tape,” Atiku said. “It’s a reflection of how far we have fallen under a presidency that has squandered Nigeria’s hard-earned credibility. Nigeria, once Africa’s diplomatic compass, is now being treated as an afterthought on the global stage.”
Atiku went on to highlight the unraveling of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under Tinubu’s leadership. Citing the recent withdrawal of three member states; Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He painted a picture of regional disintegration, pointing out that nearly 40% of ECOWAS’s land mass is now outside the bloc.
“Tinubu inherited an ECOWAS of 15 nations. Today, it is a shell of itself. As chair, he did not build bridges. He burnt them. His erratic and self-serving leadership fractured regional unity,” he stated.
The former Vice President also addressed the broader diplomatic and economic consequences of Nigeria’s declining global presence. While South Africa continues to engage the United States in trade talks, Nigeria has reportedly struggled to secure similar bilateral interest. Atiku described the situation as a “complete evaporation of Nigeria’s diplomatic relevance.”
He also took aim at narratives surrounding Nigerian-French businessman Gilbert Chagoury, who is often rumored to have influence in American political circles, particularly with Republicans.
“Let’s kill the myth once and for all, Chagoury is not a Trump insider,” Atiku said. “He was a donor to the Clinton Foundation and holds no sway in Trump’s circles. Nigeria wagered its foreign policy on a mirage. And we lost.”
Further condemning Tinubu’s leadership, Atiku accused the administration of indulging in excesses while the country struggles to attract foreign investment and maintain global relevance.
“As our foreign direct investment hits historic lows, Tinubu’s men are vacationing in St. Lucia, sipping champagne while Nigeria sinks into deeper economic despair,” he alleged.
He called the situation “a disgrace,” warning that history will not look kindly on the current administration.
“From Giant of Africa to diplomatic ghost, Tinubu has finished the job. He has diluted our stature and silenced our voice on the world stage. This is not just an embarrassment. It is a national tragedy.”
Despite his criticism, Atiku ended on a hopeful note, pointing to the emergence of a new political coalition anchored by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a potential pathway to redemption for Nigeria.
“We will not mourn in silence or allow ourselves to be erased,” he declared. “The ADC-led coalition is here to rescue Nigeria from this decline. The damage is deep, but our resolve is deeper. The mission to reclaim Nigeria’s honor has already begun.”
He concluded with a warning and a promise.
“History may not be kind to this government. But history will remember who stood up to end it.”