Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice-President and the 2023 presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected claims from President Bola Tinubu’s camp suggesting that he harbors envy towards the president.
Africa24hrs reported that Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information & Strategy, issued a statement on Sunday, asserting that Atiku’s proposals lack originality and do not adequately address the urgent economic issues facing the nation.
The statement from the Presidency accused Atiku, who has made six unsuccessful bids for the presidency, of attempting to undermine Tinubu’s administration. It characterized Atiku’s economic suggestions as “grand illusions and fantasies.” Furthermore, it claimed that Atiku’s perceived arrogance and inability to provide effective solutions to the country’s economic problems were factors in his repeated electoral defeats.
In response, Atiku’s aide, Phrank Shaibu, stated on Monday that Atiku cannot be envious of Tinubu, who he believes is causing suffering for Nigerians, emphasizing that “wickedness is an exclusive preserve of T-Pain!” Shaibu contrasted Atiku with Tinubu, noting that “Atiku is not a bigot and has refunded money to the US related to alleged drug trafficking.”
Atiku, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, criticized President Tinubu’s economic policies and governance style, asserting that they are detrimental to Nigerians. He urged Tinubu to focus on addressing these issues rather than attacking the opposition, which is not currently in power.
Atiku referenced Tinubu’s announcement on July 8, 2024, regarding the lifting of import duties on essential goods like food for a period of 150 days.” Over 120 days have passed, yet the policy remains unimplemented, while Nigerians face daily hardships due to soaring costs, particularly food inflation, which has now surpassed 40%, marking the highest level in decades”.
“The blatant disregard for government policy by appointees of Tinubu, coupled with the finance ministry’s failure to issue a gazette after more than four months, underscores the absurdity, ineptitude, and incompetence that define the Tinubu administration”.
“Regrettably, instead of concentrating on effective governance, the administration seems more focused on verbally attacking political opponents such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, while leveraging compromised judicial systems to create turmoil within the opposition. This is indeed unfortunate”.
The former Vice President contended that Tinubu’s “abysmal” performance over the past 18 months has made it evident to all Nigerians that he entered office ill-prepared, leading to numerous policy inconsistencies that have characterized his administration.
“He continues to inhabit a delusional state, misleading Nigerians about the foreign exchange reserves being $40 billion, when the actual net reserves are below 20% of that figure, instead of dismissing his economic advisers. If he is confident in his accomplishments, the Central Bank of Nigeria should publish its financial statements for 2023.”
Atiku expressed concern over the military’s announcement regarding the rise of a new terrorist group called Lakurawa in the North, amidst the ongoing threats from Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, and other extremist factions in the country.
He emphasized that, in light of the frequent power grid failures in the North caused by criminal activities, Tinubu should prioritize enhancing security, which is essential for attracting investments.
Atiku also pointed out that the President has politicized security matters by appointing his relatives to key security and economic roles. “In terms of economic appointments, he has filled every significant position with his family members, including the finance minister, trade and investment, CBN, customs, and FIRS. Even President Muhammadu Buhari did not engage in such overt favoritism.”
“Unlike Tinubu, Atiku is not a bigot and has not returned funds to the United States related to alleged drug trafficking.” He noted that despite facing significant revenue challenges, Tinubu has allocated over $13 billion to the contentious Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, displacing numerous residents in Lagos to appease his associates while neglecting other urgent issues.
He stated, “Tinubu clearly lacked preparation for his role. He tends to act impulsively without considering the repercussions. This was evident when he abruptly removed the petrol subsidy without any safety nets in place.
“Only after witnessing the fallout did, he hastily propose a CNG initiative, which neither he nor his ministers have adopted, as evidenced by their reluctance to utilize it.
“The CNG initiative has struggled to gain traction due to insufficient gas infrastructure in many states. Consequently, transportation costs continue to rise, along with food prices. In his mid-term expenditure framework, he has projected an exchange rate of N700/$1 for 2024 and N650/$1 for 2025.
Atiku urged Tinubu to take advantage of the remaining time in his presidency, as the Nigerian populace has become increasingly disillusioned with his administration.
He emphasized that with less than two years left in office, the President should prioritize enhancing the quality of life for citizens.
Atiku remarked, “It is absurd to suggest that Atiku harbors jealousy towards Tinubu. Absolutely not; Atiku cannot envy Tinubu for the suffering he has caused Nigerians.
“Cruelty is solely associated with Tinubu, and no empathetic leader who genuinely cares for the welfare of Nigerians would feel jealousy over what is uniquely his domain.”
He further stated, “It is troubling that during recent protests, some disheartened young Nigerians were seen waving Russian flags and calling for military intervention.
“God forbid we revert to those grim times, but leaders must avoid driving their citizens to a point where they prefer chaos over stability.
“Nigeria currently has the weakest currency in Africa and has dropped to the fifth-largest economy on the continent, a decline from its previous top position since the APC’s takeover in 2015.
“Many Nigerians are at their breaking point, uncertain about where their next meal will come from. This should be Tinubu’s primary focus rather than ignoring the crisis while the nation suffers.”
Ahmed Bola Tinubu the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
