Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of shifting blame to opposition politicians for hunger and poverty in Nigeria, insisting that his administration must take responsibility for the country’s economic challenges.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was reacting to Tinubu’s remarks at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday, where the President accused opposition politicians of creating hunger and poverty.
In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the President’s remarks as “either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia”.
He argued that the APC could not blame the opposition for the country’s economic difficulties after more than 11 years in power.
“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,” Atiku said.
“Stop insulting their intelligence and answer for your record.”
The former vice-president accused Tinubu’s administration of worsening economic hardship through policies that have increased the cost of living.
He challenged the President to account for the effects of petrol subsidy removal and the depreciation of the naira, which he said had fallen from approximately ₦471 to ₦1,329 against the dollar.
Atiku also cited a World Bank estimate that 63 per cent of Nigerians would fall below the national poverty line in 2026, arguing that the figure reflected the severity of the country’s economic situation.
He further criticised Tinubu’s planned inauguration of a section of the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, accusing the President of celebrating an infrastructure project while Nigerians continued to struggle with economic hardship.
“A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon cutting ceremony,” he said.
Atiku also questioned the Federal Government’s management of public finances, demanding explanations for the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside a separate 2025 budget.
He additionally sought clarification on what he described as ₦7.13 trillion recorded under energy security in 2024 and ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related expenditure.
