Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has lambasted President Bola Tinubu’s economic and governance approach, accusing him of neglecting the welfare of Nigerians while focusing on political battles with opposition figures.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Monday, Abubakar highlighted the impact of Tinubu’s policies on rising living costs, especially food inflation, which has surged to over 40%, a level not seen in decades.
Mr Abubakar criticised the delayed implementation of Tinubu’s July announcement to suspend import duties on essential goods for 150 days.
More than 120 days later, the opposition leader argued, Nigerians are still bearing the brunt of the inaction, with no government gazette issued to formalize the policy.
Mr Abubakar contended that this “brazen disobedience” reflects what he called the “fatuousness, inanity, and incompetence” of Tinubu’s administration.
The former Vice President noted that instead of addressing these challenges, Tinubu’s administration has focused on verbal attacks against opposition leaders, including himself and Peter Obi, while allegedly manipulating the judicial system to disrupt the opposition.
Atiku also took aim at Tinubu’s handling of critical economic policies, citing the abrupt removal of petrol subsidies without adequate preparation.
He pointed out that Tinubu’s compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, which was introduced as a solution, has stalled due to inadequate gas infrastructure, resulting in soaring transportation and food costs.
In his assessment of Tinubu’s economic management, Waziri Adamawa claimed that the President’s financial projections are unrealistic, with a forecasted exchange rate of N700/$1 in 2024 and N650/$1 in 2025.
He challenged the administration to release the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2023 financial statements to substantiate its reported foreign exchange reserves.
Mr Abubakar further berated Tinubu’s security strategy, arguing that the President’s focus should be on combatting rising insecurity, especially with the reported emergence of a new terror group, Lakurawa.
He accused Tinubu of politicising security and economic positions by appointing allies to key roles, leading to weakened governance.
Mr Abubakar also condemned Tinubu’s commitment of over $13 billion to the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, which he claimed was motivated by personal interests rather than national needs.
He noted that many Lagos residents have been displaced due to this project, which, according to him, diverts resources from other pressing issues.
The former Vice President concluded by advising Tinubu to focus on alleviating the hardships faced by Nigerians in the remaining two years of his term, as the country struggles with its currency performance, rising inflation, and economic decline on the continent.
In a pointed remark, Abubakar dismissed claims that he envied Tinubu’s position, stating, “No compassionate leader should be jealous of inflicting pain on Nigerians.”
He cautioned that Nigerians are becoming increasingly frustrated, warning against governance that risks pushing citizens to “choose fire over the frying pan.”
