Swap Your Escalade For Innoson To Prove 'Nigeria First' Commitment–Atiku Challenges Tinubu.

Swap Your Escalade For Innoson To Prove 'Nigeria First' Commitment–Atiku Challenges Tinubu. 

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate a genuine commitment to the recently launched "Nigeria First" policy by trading his luxury Escalade for a Nigerian-made car like Innoson or Nord.

In a statement released on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that symbolic actions, not just policy pronouncements, are needed to boost the local auto industry.

The Federal Executive Council had on Monday approved the "Nigeria First" economic policy, aimed at prioritising locally made goods and services in government procurement. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that the policy would soon be enforced 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.

He added, "Now this seeks to foster a new business culture that will be bold, confident, but also very, very Nigerian. It aims at making the government invest in our people and our industries by changing how the government spends money, how we procure, and how we also build our economy.”

Reacting to the policy, Atiku said the government must lead by example, not just rhetoric.

“The Tinubu administration’s latest Nigeria First mantra, paraded through the Federal Executive Council, is nothing but another tired PR stunt—designed to deceive, not deliver. Nigerians have grown weary of hollow speeches. If this government is truly serious about local content and economic patriotism, it must start at the very top,” Atiku said.

He added, “We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car. That single act will do more to promote the local industry than a thousand policy memos. Let’s see the ministers—those shameless Rolls-Royce connoisseurs—sweat it out in Nigerian-made vehicles, too. Or is Nigeria First only for the masses?”

Atiku also urged Tinubu to patronise local tourism and healthcare facilities if he genuinely supports the "Nigeria First" agenda.

“It’s time Mr. President shelves his love affair with Paris and London. If he’s serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be at Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. Nigeria is beautiful—unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise," the statement continued.

Atiku further challenged Tinubu to abandon medical tourism, insisting that the President should conduct all future medical check-ups at Nigerian hospitals.

“More importantly, the era of jetting off for medical tourism while preaching self-reliance must end. We demand that President Tinubu—champion of ‘Nigeria First’—conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the #41 billion Naira Akwa Ibom world-class hospital built by an uncommon transformer, in Uyo. If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy,” Atiku said.

He concluded by criticising the government for its "addiction to foreign luxuries" while calling for sacrifices from ordinary Nigerians, stating that true leadership requires setting the tone by example.

Credit: MukTV

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