THE political battle ahead of the 2027 presidential election intensified on Tuesday as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar accused President Bola Tinubu of responding to the opposition’s growing criticism of his administration’s economic policies.
In a statement titled, ‘Tinubu, the Issue Is Not Atiku – It Is Why Nigerians Can No Longer Afford to Live’, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, said the said the former vice-president would continue to challenge the Federal Government on policies affecting the welfare of Nigerians.
According to him, the emerging political debate is no longer merely about economic statistics but about whether Nigerians can afford food, transportation, education, healthcare and other necessities.
‘Bola, Nigerians know exactly whose policy you were attacking,’ Shaibu said, accusing the President of responding to Atiku’s economic proposals without mentioning his name.
He argued that the opposition leader had positioned himself on the side of Nigerians affected by rising fuel prices, transport fares and food costs, adding that the cost-of-living crisis was becoming a major issue in the build-up to 2027.
Shaibu questioned the timing of the Federal Government’s promise to introduce cheaper transportation and other relief measures, arguing that Nigerians had endured economic hardship for more than three years under the Tinubu administration.
He said it was politically inconsistent for the government to criticise Atiku’s proposal to reduce energy costs while promising interventions aimed at reducing the burden on Nigerians.
‘You cannot condemn cheaper living when Atiku proposes it and rename the same objective Renewed Hope when you promise it,’ he said.
The Atiku aide also attacked the petrol pricing regime under the current administration, comparing Nigeria with other oil-producing countries and arguing that Nigerians were paying heavily for fuel despite the country’s status as a major oil producer.
He said the high cost of petrol had affected virtually every sector of the economy, including transportation, agriculture, food distribution and manufacturing.
Shaibu said Atiku’s proposed Atiku Economic Recovery Plan (AERP) would focus on reducing costs at source by providing targeted support for Nigerian crude supplied to domestic refineries under a transparent and independently audited framework.
He said the proposal was designed to lower fuel costs, reduce transportation expenses and ultimately increase the purchasing power of Nigerian workers and families.
Shaibu also took a swipe at the Federal Government’s education policies, particularly its reliance on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), arguing that student loans could not replace policies aimed at making education affordable.
He said Atiku’s approach would focus on reducing the cost of education and reviewing the existing student loan framework.
The presidential candidate’s aide further challenged the Federal Government to account for funds it said had been mobilised following the removal of petrol subsidy.