By Ogochukwu Isioma
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of gross incompetence, worsening poverty, and pushing Nigeria to the brink of economic collapse.
He also pledged that the opposition coalition will not remain silent in the face of what he described as elite-driven governance and increasing hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, Atiku declared that the Tinubu-led federal government, barely two years in office, has distinguished itself as “one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments in Nigeria’s democratic history.”
“No previous administration has inflicted this level of hardship on the masses while showing such disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership,” Atiku stated in the statement he personally signed.
The former Vice President condemned the administration’s economic policies, accusing it of entrenching inequality and deepening the suffering of ordinary citizens.
“This government has not only deepened poverty across the country, but it has also set new records in wasteful public spending,” he said.
“At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive, government officials are living in excess and approving budgets that benefit the elite at the expense of the common man.”
Citing the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Atiku highlighted the rising levels of malnutrition, noting that Nigeria has now surpassed war-torn Sudan in child hunger rankings.
“It is sad that apart from being the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria has under this administration emerged as the capital of malnourished children in Africa,” he said.
“According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, our country is one of the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, occupying the 18th position.”
He further accused the Tinubu government of institutionalizing a system that favors the rich while oppressing the poor.
“Policy after policy under this administration has targeted the poor while providing relief and advantage to the rich,” Atiku stated.
“From healthcare to education to identity management and basic public services, Nigerians are now faced with class-based systems where the wealthy enjoy VIP treatment, and the rest are left behind.”
Atiku pointed to recent developments such as the 75% increase in National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) service fees and hikes in public university tuition as examples of anti-poor policies.
He criticized the introduction of VIP (Very Important Person) service protocols for essential public services, calling them a violation of citizens’ rights.
The former Vice President also raised alarms over the country’s ballooning public debt, blaming the federal government for what he described as fiscal recklessness.
“When President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at approximately N49 trillion. In just two years, that figure has skyrocketed to N144 trillion — a 150% increase,” he said.
“With more foreign loans now being requested, the debt could push to N183 trillion.”
According to him, while the federal government continues to borrow excessively, many state governments have shown greater fiscal discipline by reducing their debt stock from N5.86 trillion to N3.97 trillion.
“The implication is clear: the federal government, under Tinubu, is the primary driver of Nigeria’s current debt crisis,” Atiku asserted.
He dismissed the presidency’s justification that borrowing was necessary to fund the 2025 budget and cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal, calling it “weak and dishonest.”
“It was the reckless and insensitive way his government removed the subsidy that created much of today’s economic hardship in the first place,” he added.
Asserting that Nigeria is sliding into a state where “the rich get richer, and the poor are punished for trying to survive,” Atiku issued a rallying cry for unified resistance.
“This reality can not and will not be ignored,” he said. “As opposition leaders and partners committed to the future of Nigeria, we will not stand by and watch democracy be reduced to a tool for elite control.”
He warned against attempts to silence dissent or establish a one-party state and revealed that opposition parties are forming a broad coalition aimed at holding the Tinubu government accountable.
“We are building a strong, united opposition coalition — one that will challenge the excesses of this administration, restore accountability, and return government to the people,” he declared.
“We will protect the right of every Nigerian to freely choose their leaders, and we will continue to fight for economic justice, political freedom, and national progress.”
Atiku, however, reiterated the commitment of the opposition to rescue Nigeria from what he described as systemic failure.
“We are here to rescue Nigeria. And we will not stop until that goal is achieved,” the statement concluded.
