Tinubu’s Policies Are Hurting Nigerians, Atiku Insists

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticizes President Tinubu’s policies and governance style, claiming they are causing hardship for Nigerians.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asserted that the economic policies and governance approach of President Bola Tinubu are detrimental to Nigerians.

He suggested that the President should prioritize solving this problem instead of criticizing the opposition, which is not currently in power.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed these remarks.

He responded to a statement released earlier by the Presidency. This statement, issued on Sunday, claimed that Atiku’s criticisms of Tinubu’s policies were motivated by jealousy.

The former Vice President stated that on July 8, 2024, Tinubu declared the suspension of import duties on essential goods such as food for a period of 150 days.

More than 120 days have passed, and the policy has still not been implemented. Meanwhile, Nigerians are facing daily fatalities connected to rising costs; food inflation alone now surpasses 40%, marking the highest level in decades.

The audacious disregard for government policy by Tinubu’s appointees, coupled with the finance ministry’s failure to issue a gazette after more than four months, highlights the ineptitude and inefficiency prevalent in the Tinubu administration.

Unfortunately, instead of concentrating on governance, they are absorbed in verbally attacking their opponents—Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi—and manipulating biased courts to create turmoil within the opposition. It’s truly shameful!

Atiku contended that Tinubu’s poor performance over the past 18 months has demonstrated to all Nigerians his lack of preparation upon entering office, leading to numerous policy inconsistencies throughout his tenure.

He added that “Tinubu was clearly unprepared for his role, often acting before considering the consequences. This is evident in his sudden removal of the petrol subsidy without any mitigating measures. After witnessing the fallout, he hastily introduced a CNG initiative, which neither he nor his ministers have fully adopted, as demonstrated by their reluctance to use it.”

The CNG initiative has struggled to launch successfully due to insufficient gas infrastructure in many states. As a consequence, transportation costs keep rising alongside food prices.

In his mid-term expenditure framework, he estimated the exchange rate to be N700/$1 in 2024 and improve to N650/$1 by 2025. Instead of dismissing his economic advisers, he remains detached from reality, misleading Nigerians with claims of a $40bn FX reserve when the actual net reserves are less than 20% of that amount. If he’s confident about his accomplishments, let the CBN publish its financial statements for 2023.

Atiku expressed his dismay at the military authorities’ announcement about the rise of a new terrorist group called Lakurawa.

He contended that, alongside the frequent grid collapses in the north caused by criminal activities, Tinubu should prioritize enhancing security as it is essential for attracting investments.

The Turakin Adamawa claimed that the President had chosen to politicize security by appointing his relatives to prominent positions in both security and economic sectors.

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Atiku stated, “He appointed his kinsmen to all the crucial positions in the economy, including finance minister, trade and investment roles, CBN, customs, and FIRS. Even President Muhammadu Buhari was not this overt.”

According to Shaibu, “Atiku is not a bigot like Tinubu and has never had to refund money to the United States for alleged drug trafficking.”

Despite facing significant revenue challenges, Tinubu has allocated over $13 billion to the contentious Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project. This decision has left many Lagos residents homeless and appears aimed at satisfying his associates, while other urgent issues receive insufficient funding.

Atiku urged Tinubu to take advantage of the opportunity while it lasts, as Nigerians have become weary of his leadership.

He emphasized that the President has just over two years remaining in office and should concentrate on enhancing people’s lives.

He continued, “Claiming that Atiku is envious of Tinubu is absurd. Absolutely not; Atiku cannot be envious of Tinubu causing hardships for Nigerians. Such cruelty belongs solely to Tinubu, and no compassionate leader who genuinely cares about the welfare of Nigerians should covet what can be considered T-Pain’s territory.”

Shaibu mentioned that the former Vice President expressed concern by stating, “It is troubling to see that during the recent protests, some disillusioned young Nigerians were waving Russian flags and urging a military takeover.”

Let’s hope we never revert to those difficult times, yet leaders must ensure they don’t drive their citizens to a point where choosing the fire seems preferable to staying in the frying pan.

Nigeria’s currency is currently the poorest performer in Africa, and its economy has dropped to the fifth-largest on the continent. This decline follows having been first prior to 2015 when what some describe as an unsuccessful period under APC began.

Many Nigerians are struggling to find their next meal, which should be Tinubu’s primary focus rather than neglecting the country’s pressing issues.