Atiku criticizes Tinubu's economic claims amid rising hardship

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected the presidency’s defense of President Bola Tinubu’s economic record. He insists that the government’s claims of recovery do not match the rising poverty, food insecurity, and worsening living conditions many Nigerians face.

Atiku responded to a statement from the State House that defended the administration’s reforms. He said no official statistics could convince Nigerians that the economy is improving while millions struggle to survive every day.

In a statement on Monday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, argued that the Tinubu-led government celebrates macroeconomic gains without looking at how its policies affect ordinary citizens.

“The State House celebrates macroeconomic indicators while ordinary Nigerians struggle with microeconomic realities. It speaks glowingly about GDP growth while families skip meals. It boasts of debt ratios while businesses shut their doors,” Atiku said.

The Wazirin Adamawa pointed to findings from the International Monetary Fund. He noted that the IMF estimated that 63 percent of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, with about 27 million people facing food insecurity in late 2025.

He added that the same IMF report recognized improvements in some areas but warned that poverty is still widespread and that social protection measures need to be stronger.

“Governments are not elected to improve spreadsheets. They are elected to improve lives. Nigerians cannot eat GDP. They cannot cook with exchange-rate adjustments,” he stressed.

Atiku also took issue with the presidency’s claim that critics were using outdated economic data. He said Nigerians still face the fallout from policies introduced in 2024.

“The Tinubu administration is asking Nigerians to forget the very policies whose consequences they continue to endure every day. Economic policy is not a light switch,” he argued.

He criticized the Federal Government’s defense of its borrowing program. He said the real issue is not how much public debt there is but whether borrowed funds have led to better infrastructure, jobs, and living standards.

“If revenue has improved so dramatically; if subsidy has been removed; if tax collection has increased; and if debt servicing has supposedly become more manageable, why does this administration continue to borrow at record levels?” he asked.

Atiku also questioned the benefits of removing the fuel subsidy. While he said Nigerians accepted the need for reforms, they have yet to see the promised improvements in public services.

“Government cannot ask citizens to celebrate sacrifice while the promised rewards remain invisible,” he said.

He further criticized the administration’s claims about healthcare and education. He argued that projects and student loan programs alone cannot be seen as comprehensive reforms while millions still lack access to quality healthcare and education.

On infrastructure, Atiku said Nigerians would judge the government by completed projects that lower the cost of doing business, not by announcements.

He concluded that the presidency should focus less on defending its record and more on solving the economic problems facing citizens.

“Governments are not judged by the elegance of their press statements or the sophistication of their economic theories. They are judged by whether families can afford food, whether businesses can survive, whether young people can find jobs, whether communities are secure, and whether citizens have hope for tomorrow,” he maintained.

This latest exchange is part of an ongoing argument between the presidency and Atiku over the economic reforms led by Tinubu. While the Federal Government claims that measures like fuel subsidy removal, exchange-rate reforms, and tax changes have stabilized the economy, opposition figures say these reforms have caused severe hardship for households and businesses without improving living standards.