By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Presidency has fired back at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following his recent scathing remarks against the administration of President Bola Tinubu, following the Nigerian leader’s second year in office.
In a strongly worded response on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Atiku of offering “vitriol” without facts and failing to acknowledge the significant strides made by the Tinubu administration.
“Atiku’s sweeping criticism is unfair and appears to be driven more by animosity than objective analysis,” Onanuga said. “Unless former Vice President Atiku allowed personal grievances to cloud his judgment, he should, in good conscience, acknowledge the significant progress and positive achievements made by this administration over the past two years.”
Onanuga reminded the former vice president of Tinubu’s pre-election transparency about the painful but necessary reforms his government would pursue to prevent Nigeria from fiscal collapse.
“Unless he still lives in Dubai, he ought to admit that in just two years, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has embarked on the most ambitious and audacious economic and institutional reforms ever seen in decades,” he said. “During the campaign, Tinubu never promised that the reforms would be painless. But he was clear they were necessary.”
Responding to Atiku’s claim that the government’s policies are “anti-people,” the Presidency argued that the reforms have stabilised government finances, curbed systemic corruption, and attracted foreign investments.
“Unlike Atiku and some critics, everyone agrees that the reforms have stabilised government finances, curbed systemic corruption, and enabled direct investments into social programmes and infrastructure,” Onanuga said. “Foreign investors now see Nigeria as an irresistible destination.”
“Since 2023, the Nigerian Exchange has seen its ASI jump from 50,000 to over 110,000, and market capitalisation has increased to N69.4 trillion, from about N30 trillion before Tinubu’s ascension.”
Onanuga also debunked Atiku’s claim that education has become inaccessible to the poor. “Everyone knows the claim is false; it’s just an attempt to throw any muck at Bola Tinubu,” he said.
“Since last year, the government has introduced the Student Loan Scheme… Over 600,000 Nigerian students have benefitted. The loans cover school fees and living allowances.”
On the health sector, Onanuga noted: “This administration has also made considerable investments in health, including revitalising primary health centres and expanding health insurance. The government is also working hard to reduce the cost of medicines.”
He dismissed Atiku’s concerns over borrowing to fund the 2025 budget, clarifying that, “The Finance Minister has debunked this as untrue and said that even this year, the government only wants to borrow about $1.2 billion.”
He added that the Tinubu government has made key fiscal strides. “Revenue has increased phenomenally. The debt service ratio to revenue has declined from 93 per cent to 60 per cent. This government has paid off the $3.4 billion IMF loan obtained in the Covid years. The current administration has discontinued Ways & Means deficit financing for the first time in decades.”
On the Atiku-led 2027 coalition against Tinubu, Onanuga said: “Atiku and his co-travellers in the coalition party he is cobbling together need not worry about their democratic rights. As an acknowledged democrat, President Tinubu will not curtail their rights or silence them.”
However, he insisted that criticisms must go beyond rhetoric. “Criticism must be elevated and constructive. When Atiku opposes government policies, he should also offer a solution. Otherwise, his opposition statements will be dismissed as mere partisan rhetoric and cheap talk.”
The Presidency called for a more meaningful political opposition. “Nigerians deserve opposition leaders who offer solutions, not just criticism. We invite all Nigerians to judge this administration by its actions, not by the rhetoric of those who have had their opportunities to lead and who bungled the chance in years past, sold national assets for pittance, and shortchanged their compatriots.”
The response by the Presidency follows Atiku’s earlier declaration that the Tinubu government was “one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments in Nigeria’s democratic history” — a claim the Presidency firmly rejects.
