Sumner Sambo Urges Nigerians to Focus on Corruption, Not Tinubu-Atiku Feud
Sumner Sambo, political editor at Arise News, urged Nigerians to shift their attention away from the ongoing dispute between President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and concentrate on the pressing issues of corruption, embezzled public funds, and the need for good governance.
He argued that the Tinubu‑Atiku feud is diverting public discourse from critical topics such as the misappropriation of funds meant for the poor, political parties’ plans to improve governance, reducing the number of out‑of‑school children, cutting the cost of governance, and tackling systemic corruption within government institutions.
Quoting Sambo, he said, “Tinubu and Atiku’s disputes are distracting us a lot. You listened to Peter Obi yesterday when he made it clear that the issues that should dominate our attention as Nigerians are not being discussed.” He added that allegations of embezzlement involving huge sums that should have reached disadvantaged citizens must be the focus of national conversation.
Sambo noted that these political rivalries have been a recurring theme in Nigeria’s electoral landscape for the past 10 to 15 years, repeatedly pulling attention away from substantive policy debates.
With the campaign period set to open on August 19 — just three to four weeks away — he urged Nigerians to centre their discussions on the central question: what can candidates offer that improves upon President Tinubu’s first term, or what will Tinubu do better if he secures a second term?
He concluded by calling for meaningful political reforms and restructuring under a potential second Tinubu administration or any incoming leadership, emphasizing that such changes are essential to better serve the Nigerian populace.
