The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, claiming they are exacerbating the suffering of Nigerians.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, responded to an attack from Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who had accused Atiku of jealousy over the outcome of the 2023 election.
Atiku dismissed Onanuga’s claims as baseless, emphasizing that his concern lies with the economic pain Nigerians are enduring due to Tinubu’s governance.
“Wickedness is an exclusive preserve of T-Pain,” Shaibu quoted Atiku, rejecting the notion of jealousy.
The statement also addressed Tinubu’s July 8 announcement to lift import duties on essential goods for 150 days.
Over four months later, Atiku pointed out, the policy has yet to take effect, while food inflation remains above 40%. Atiku criticized Tinubu’s administration for failing to implement policies effectively, accusing the government of incompetence.
“Atiku argued that Tinubu’s leadership has been marked by a series of policy flip-flops, including the abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy, which caused widespread hardship.
Despite the challenges, the government has failed to follow through on alternative measures, such as the CNG initiative, which remains stalled due to a lack of infrastructure,” the statement read.
Atiku also raised concerns about the country’s economic outlook, highlighting Tinubu’s unrealistic exchange rate projections and the government’s failure to provide transparency regarding Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves.