Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu for blaming the opposition for Nigeria’s hunger and poverty, insisting that the administration must take responsibility for its economic record ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was reacting to Tinubu’s remarks at the APC presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday, where the President accused his political opponents of creating hunger and poverty in the country.
In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the President’s comments as “either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia”.
“The APC governed Nigeria for eight years before you took office. You have added another three and a half years. Nigerians know who has been in power, and hardship did not begin when the opposition started talking about it. Stop insulting their intelligence and answer for your record,” he said.
Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of worsening economic hardship and argued that the President could not dismiss public concerns over the rising cost of living by blaming political opponents.
He also criticised Tinubu’s planned inauguration of a section of the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, alleging that the ceremony reflected a disconnect between the administration and the daily struggles of Nigerians.
“A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” he said.
The former Vice President challenged the government to account for the removal of the petrol subsidy and the depreciation of the naira, which he claimed had weakened from about ₦471 to the dollar to ₦1,329.
He further cited a World Bank estimate that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be living below the national poverty line in 2026, accusing the administration of presiding over worsening poverty.
Atiku also questioned the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside a separate 2025 budget. He demanded explanations for what he described as ₦7.13 trillion recorded under “energy security” in 2024 and ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related spending.
He maintained that the administration should address concerns about its economic policies and spending rather than shift responsibility for the country’s difficulties to the opposition.