Atiku slams Tinubu’s governance, calls policy failures “unpreparedness”

Atiku urged the Tinubu administration to focus on governance rather than attacking political opponents, adding that the missteps in Tinubu’s tenure so far have shown a troubling lack of preparedness.

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, claiming they are worsening the hardships faced by Nigerians.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed accusations of jealousy directed at him by the presidency, noting that he is more concerned about the economic mismanagement under Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku’s response followed remarks from Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who accused Atiku of envy following his defeat in the last election.

Atiku, however, retorted through Shaibu, stating, “Jealous of Tinubu inflicting pain on Nigerians? Hell no, wickedness is an exclusive preserve of T-Pain.”

In his critique, Atiku highlighted several areas where he believes Tinubu’s government has failed, particularly regarding economic policies that were announced but have yet to materialise.

“On July 8, 2024, Tinubu announced the lifting of import duties on essential goods like food for 150 days. But over 120 days later, the policy is yet to take effect, while Nigerians continue to suffer from skyrocketing food prices, with inflation exceeding 40%, the highest in decades,” he asserted.

Atiku questioned the effectiveness of Tinubu’s administration, labelling it as “incompetent” and “unprepared.” He specifically cited the government’s handling of the compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative as an example of poor planning.

“After removing the petrol subsidy abruptly, Tinubu scrambled to promote a CNG initiative, yet there’s no gas infrastructure in most states. Transport costs keep rising alongside food prices,” Atiku noted.

Atiku criticised the current administration’s projections for the Nigerian currency exchange rate, accusing Tinubu’s economic advisers of fostering unrealistic expectations.

“In his mid-term expenditure framework, Tinubu projected an exchange rate of N700/$1 in 2024 and N650/$1 by 2025. Rather than addressing reality, he persists in a ‘fool’s paradise,’ even misleading Nigerians about FX reserves that are allegedly 20% of the $40 billion claimed,” he argued.

Atiku urged the administration to focus on governance rather than attacking political opponents, adding that the missteps in Tinubu’s tenure so far have shown a troubling lack of preparedness.

“The disregard for governance and reliance on compromised courts to undermine opposition is a shame,” he remarked, as he called for more accountability and transparency in the country’s economic management.