Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government as a complete failure, accusing it of misrule, economic hardship, and policies that favour the elite at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

In a strongly worded statement titled “Tinubu’s Government Has Failed the People Opposition Coalition Will Not Be Silent” released on Wednesday the same day Tinubu marked two years in office Atiku declared that the administration “has proven to be one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments in Nigeria’s democratic history.”

The former vice president vowed that a united opposition coalition will rise to challenge what he called “government excesses” and work to return power to the people.

Atiku’s comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with speculation intensifying about a potential alliance involving Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

He slammed the Tinubu-led government for worsening poverty and inequality in the country.

“This government has not only deepened poverty across the country, but it has also set new records in wasteful public spending,” Atiku said. “While millions of Nigerians struggle to survive, government officials live in excess.”

He also accused the administration of creating a class-based system of public services, citing recent hikes in tuition at public universities and increased fees by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as examples of policies that hurt the poor while sparing the wealthy.

Atiku further highlighted Nigeria’s alarming rate of malnourished children, claiming the country now surpasses even war-torn Sudan in that regard.

He criticized the handling of the fuel subsidy removal, saying:
“It was the reckless and insensitive way his government removed the subsidy that created much of today’s economic hardship in the first place.”

Raising alarm over the nation’s financial health, Atiku claimed Nigeria’s public debt has ballooned under Tinubu, rising by over 150% to N144 trillion in just two years, with projections suggesting it could reach N183 trillion as the government pursues more foreign loans.

As public frustration over economic hardship mounts, Atiku’s declaration signals a more aggressive stance from the opposition ahead of what may be a pivotal election cycle in 2027.