Atiku Urges Tinubu To Ditch Foreign Luxury For Local Products In ‘Nigeria First’ Policy.
Former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to back his administration’s “Nigeria First” policy with tangible actions by swapping foreign-made vehicles for locally manufactured ones. The call comes days after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the policy, which prioritises local goods and services in government procurement.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the policy as “another tired PR stunt” unless accompanied by concrete steps from the presidency. The FEC, on Monday, announced the Nigeria First initiative, with Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stating it would be formalised through an executive order. “This policy means Nigeria comes first in all procurement processes; no foreign goods or devices that are already being produced locally will be procured without a clear and justified reason,” Idris said.
Atiku, however, called for the Tinubu administration to lead by example, starting with the President’s choice of vehicles. “We challenge President Tinubu to trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord, or any made-in-Nigeria car,” the statement read. “That single act will do more to promote the local industry than a thousand policy memos.” He also urged ministers to abandon their “shameless” preference for Rolls-Royces in favour of Nigerian-made vehicles, questioning whether the Nigeria First policy applies only to ordinary citizens.
The former Vice President further criticised what he described as the administration’s double standards. He called on Tinubu to forgo foreign holidays in Paris or London and instead visit Nigerian destinations such as Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. “Nigeria is beautiful—unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise,” Atiku remarked.
Atiku also demanded that Tinubu commit to using Nigerian hospitals for medical care, ending the practice of seeking treatment abroad while promoting self-reliance. “We demand that President Tinubu conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the ₦41 billion Akwa Ibom world-class hospital in Uyo,” he said. “If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief.”
Concluding his statement, Atiku emphasised that true leadership requires action, not slogans. “This government’s addiction to foreign luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians is the height of insincerity,” he said. “True leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites—it’s setting the tone by example.”
The call has sparked widespread debate, with many Nigerians watching to see whether the Tinubu administration will align its actions with the Nigeria First rhetoric.
