Atiku accuses Tinubu of deflecting blame for Nigeria’s economic hardship

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of shifting responsibility for hunger and poverty in Nigeria to the opposition, saying the administration should be judged by its economic record and the living conditions of citizens.

Mr Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, made the remarks in a statement issued on Saturday by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.

He was responding to the president’s reported claim that the opposition was responsible for hunger and poverty in the country.Mr Atiku described the claim as an attempt to evade responsibility for the economic difficulties Nigerians face, arguing that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has governed the country since 2015.

“Mr President, blaming the opposition for hunger is either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia. The APC governed Nigeria for eight years before you took office. You have added another three and a half years. Nigerians know who has been in power, and hardship did not begin when the opposition started talking about it. Stop insulting their intelligence and answer for your record.“The hardship your administration has brought upon Nigerians is real. You cannot deny it by blaming others.“Your decision to commission the unfinished Abuja to Kaduna Expressway from inside a stadium shows how far removed you are from the daily reality of Nigerians. A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Which administration removed the petrol subsidy and watched the naira fall from about ₦471 to ₦1,329 to the dollar?“Which administration has presided over a rise in poverty that led the World Bank to estimate that 63 per cent of Nigerians will be below the national poverty line in 2026? Which administration extended the 2024 budget into 2025 while also operating a separate 2025 budget?“Which administration recorded ₦7.13 trillion under ‘energy security’ in 2024 and faces questions over ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline related spending? Nigerians deserve to know who received these sums and what was delivered.“Which administration must explain the $12.4 billion gap flagged in Nigeria’s external accounts for the first half of 2026? Which administration paid $22.5 million in ‘other charges’ on the Abu Dhabi financing facility?“Which administration is responsible for the killings, kidnappings and displacement that continue to terrorise communities? These are the questions Nigerians are asking while your government blames the opposition.“You cannot govern for three years, make life harder, and then blame others for describing the hardship.

You asked who created the hunger. Nigerians are asking what you have done to end it.“The people will judge your government by the lives they are living, not by the excuses you offer at campaign rallies.“The 2027 presidential election will be a referendum on your record. Nigerians have felt the cost of your leadership in their homes, markets and communities. Their verdict is already clear: they have rejected your administration.”

Economic hardship, poverty

Mr Atiku’s criticism comes amid continuing debate over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange regime.The reforms, introduced after Mr Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, were intended to ease pressure on public finances and improve the functioning of the foreign exchange market.

However, the resulting increases in fuel and transport costs, alongside persistent pressure on household purchasing power, have fuelled public concern about the cost of living.The World Bank’s October 2026 Nigeria Poverty and Equity Brief estimated that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be living below the national poverty line in 2026. The report also documented an increase in the national poverty rate from 40.1 per cent in 2019 to 56.2 per cent in 2023.The poverty projection provides context for Mr Atiku’s criticism, although it does not, by itself, establish that a single government policy accounts for the entire increase.The former vice-president also questioned spending recorded under energy security and pipeline-related operations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

A report published by Punch in November 2025 said NNPCL recorded ₦7.13 trillion in energy-security costs in 2024, as part of a larger amount owed to the company for energy security and pipeline protection. The figures raised questions about the scale and transparency of the costs associated with the operations.

Mr Atiku also cited a $12.4 billion figure relating to Nigeria’s external accounts in the first half of 2026. The Federal Ministry of Finance has since clarified that the figure represents a negative balance-of-payments residual classified as “net errors and omissions”, rather than evidence that $12.4 billion in funds is missing.

The ministry said the figure could reflect data gaps and unrepatriated oil proceeds, among other factors.Separately, Punch reported in October 2026 that Nigeria paid $22.5 million in charges associated with a $1.5 billion drawdown under a financing arrangement with First Abu Dhabi Bank. The Debt Management Office classified the payment as “other charges”, without providing a detailed breakdown of the specific costs covered.

Road project criticism

Mr Atiku’s statement also criticised the government’s handling of the Abuja–Kaduna road project, alleging that an unfinished road was commissioned from a stadium.The Federal Government announced on 22 October that a 30.58-kilometre section of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway had been commissioned in Kano. The ceremony was conducted by Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on behalf of President Tinubu, according to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation. The ministry said the administration was completing inherited road projects.The government’s account of the commissioning and Mr Atiku’s criticism reflect competing political narratives over infrastructure delivery and the administration’s performance.

Mr Atiku said Nigerians would ultimately assess the government by its impact on their daily lives rather than its explanations for the country’s difficulties.

The ADC presidential candidate is expected to challenge Mr Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, setting up a contest in which the economy, security and the cost of living are likely to feature prominently.