Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has described President Bola Tinubu’s attempt to blame opposition politicians for hunger and poverty in Nigeria as delusional, insisting that the President must take responsibility for the country’s economic hardship.
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 the opposition of creating hunger and poverty.
In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described Tinubu’s accusation as ‘either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia’.
He argued that the APC could not blame opposition politicians for Nigeria’s economic difficulties after governing the country for more than 11 years.
‘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, particularly through policies that have increased the cost of living.
He challenged the President to explain the consequences of removing the petrol subsidy 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 worsening 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 face severe hardship.
‘A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon cutting ceremony,’ he said.
The ADC presidential candidate also raised questions about the Federal Government’s management of public finances.
He challenged the administration over the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside a separate 2025 budget.
Atiku additionally demanded explanations concerning what he described as ?7.13 trillion recorded under energy security in 2024 and ?11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related expenditure.