Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of blaming the opposition for hunger and poverty instead of accepting responsibility for the economic hardship Nigerians face under his administration.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, said the President could not implement policies that worsened living conditions and then fault opposition parties for highlighting their consequences.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku described Tinubu’s remarks as an attempt to deflect responsibility for his administration’s performance.
“Mr President, blaming the opposition for hunger is either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia,” Atiku said.
He argued that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had governed Nigeria for eight years before Tinubu assumed office, insisting that Nigerians knew which administration was responsible for the country’s economic challenges.
“The hardship your administration has brought upon Nigerians is real. You cannot deny it by blaming others,” he said.
Atiku questions Abuja-Kaduna Expressway project
The former vice president also criticised Tinubu for commissioning the unfinished Abuja-Kaduna Expressway from inside a stadium.
He argued that speeches and ribbon-cutting ceremonies could not replace the completion of public infrastructure projects.
Atiku further challenged the President to account for the removal of the petrol subsidy and the depreciation of the naira, citing a fall in the exchange rate from about ₦471 to ₦1,329 to the dollar.
He also referenced a World Bank estimate that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be living below the national poverty line in 2026, questioning the administration’s handling of the economy and public finances.
Atiku raises questions over government spending
The ADC candidate questioned the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside a separate 2025 budget.
He also sought explanations for reported spending of ₦7.13 trillion under “energy security” in 2024 and ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related expenditure.
Atiku called for greater transparency, asking the government to explain who received the funds and what the expenditure achieved.
He further questioned a reported $12.4 billion gap in Nigeria’s external accounts for the first half of 2026 and a $22.5 million payment listed as “other charges” on the Abu Dhabi financing facility.
The former vice president did not spare the administration over insecurity, citing killings, kidnappings and the displacement of communities across the country.
“These are the questions Nigerians are asking while your government blames the opposition,” he said.
2027 election will test Tinubu’s performance, Atiku says
Atiku urged the government to focus on addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges rather than attacking its critics.
“You cannot govern for three years, make life harder, and then blame others for describing the hardship. You asked who created the hunger. Nigerians are asking what you have done to end it,” he said.
He added that the 2027 presidential election would serve as a referendum on Tinubu’s performance, arguing that voters would judge the administration by their living conditions rather than its explanations.
