Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu following the circulation of a photograph showing Tinubu having lunch in Paris with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

The image, shared on social media by the Presidency, drew controversy after users on X, formerly known as Twitter, flagged it as artificially generated. Tinubu’s media aide, Temitope Ajayi, later said the photo was genuine but had been enhanced using a Grok tool.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s senior special assistant on public communication, the former vice president described the lunch as “a case of misplaced priorities and official shamelessness.”

“At a moment when Nigerians are crushed by hunger, insecurity, collapsing businesses and a brutal cost-of-living crisis, the Presidency chose to brief the nation on who the president had lunch with in Paris,” Shaibu said.

He added that the situation reflected “tone-deafness in power,” arguing that while communities in Niger State and other parts of the country face violent attacks and families struggle to afford basic food, the Presidency was focused on explaining image quality and photo editing.

“By the way, why is Tinubu’s plate empty? Nigerians did not ask for a Paris menu. They asked for leadership,” the statement said.

Shaibu also said the clariification by the Presidency over the authenticity was unconvincing.

“A Presidency repeatedly entangled in controversies over forged or questionable documents cannot suddenly pretend to be shocked by public skepticism.

“The real falsehood is not a photograph. It is the daily distortion of leadership priorities. Nigeria is burning. The Presidency is editing pictures,” Shaibu said.

“It is time for the Presidency to abandon public relations theatrics, return home, and confront the emergencies facing Nigerians — hunger, insecurity, and economic collapse — with urgency, humility, and action. That is the minimum Nigerians expect,” the statement added.