Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticized the Nigerian presidency following its rebuttal to his remarks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic strategies.
Atiku labeled the current administration’s approach as “trial-and-error” and accused it of maintaining a “palliative economy.” He contended that the simultaneous implementation of numerous reforms is excessive and counterproductive.
Atiku asserted that, had he been in charge, his administration would have favored a more gradual strategy for subsidy removal, referencing successful examples from countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.
In response, the presidency quickly dismissed Atiku’s views, claiming they lacked substance and had been rejected by the electorate during the 2023 elections. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, cautioned that an Atiku-led government would have exacerbated Nigeria’s challenges or led to increased cronyism.
Dada Olusegun, the Special Adviser on Social Media, also criticized Atiku, stating, “You were not elected, Alhaji. You struggle to unite your party with only 13 governors and fail to demonstrate the leadership necessary to be a credible opposition.”
Atiku, a member of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is currently facing a crisis within the party, largely caused to tensions between him and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. This discord emerged following the party’s primary election, where Atiku secured the presidential nomination for the 2023 election.
In a statement issued on Monday, Atiku addressed the presidency’s comments, noting, “I have observed the initial replies, which starkly illustrate the gap between President Tinubu’s faltering economic policies and the alternatives I have proposed.”
He emphasized that his team has formulated a detailed Recovery Plan, inviting contributions from the Nigerian populace.
Atiku also criticized the presidency’s reliance on prayer, asserting, “While prayer is indeed a commendable practice, our sacred texts encourage us to engage in hard work and diligence as well.” He highlighted that during his tenure from 1999 to 2003, Nigeria emerged as a leading economy in Africa.
Regarding the 2023 presidential election results, which saw him lose to Tinubu according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Atiku remarked, “I want to stress that the voters who participated in the 2023 election understand that I did not lose; rather, we are in this situation because the election was unjustly stolen from the Nigerian people.”
