Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and governance approach are severely killing Nigerians.
He said that rather than attacking the opposition, the President should prioritize addressing the nation’s economic crisis.
READ ALSO: Children are not spared from T Pain’s wickedness – Atiku
Atiku made these statements in a response to the Presidency’s recent remarks, issued on Sunday, which claimed that his criticisms of Tinubu’s policies were motivated by jealousy.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku highlighted several failures in Tinubu’s administration. He pointed to the President’s announcement on July 8, 2024, to lift import duty on essential goods like food for 150 days. However, Atiku noted that over 120 days later, the policy had not been implemented, while Nigerians continued to suffer from rising food inflation, now exceeding 40%, the highest in decades.
“At the same time, Tinubu’s appointees have brazenly ignored government policies, with the Ministry of Finance failing to issue a gazette for over four months,” Atiku said. “This reflects the incompetence and irresponsibility that have characterized this administration.”
Atiku criticized Tinubu’s governance, claiming that the President had failed to prepare for office, leading to numerous policy flip-flops. “Tinubu acts first and thinks about the consequences later,” he stated. He cited the abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy, followed by a rushed push for a CNG initiative, which he argued has failed to take off due to inadequate infrastructure.
Further, Atiku questioned the President’s economic advisers, particularly in light of Tinubu’s mid-term expenditure framework, which projected the exchange rate to hit N700/$1 by 2024. “Rather than addressing these failures, the President continues to deceive Nigerians about the FX reserve,” he said, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria to release its 2023 financial statements to reveal the true state of the reserves.
The former Vice President also condemned the President’s approach to security, particularly following the emergence of a new terror group, Lakurawa, and the increasing grid collapses in the northern region. He criticized Tinubu for appointing his kinsmen to key security and economic positions, which he described as a political maneuver rather than a genuine effort to address Nigeria’s problems.
“Even President Buhari was not this brazen in nepotism,” Atiku remarked. He further expressed concerns about Tinubu’s handling of the economy, citing his $13 billion commitment to the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway while other pressing issues remained underfunded.
In his final remarks, Atiku emphasized the urgency for the President to focus on improving the lives of Nigerians. “Nigerians are suffering, and this should be Tinubu’s biggest concern, not attacking the opposition,” he stated.
He also addressed the claim that he was jealous of Tinubu, dismissing it as ludicrous. “Atiku cannot be jealous of Tinubu inflicting pain on Nigerians. Wickedness is Tinubu’s exclusive preserve.”
Atiku concluded with a somber warning: “Leaders must not push citizens to a point where they choose fire over frying pan. Nigeria is currently the worst-performing currency in Africa, and most Nigerians are struggling to survive. This should be the President’s focus, not playing politics while the country burns.”
