Your leadership approach, policies, killing Nigerians – Atiku slams Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that they are causing immense suffering among Nigerians.

Atiku urged the President to prioritize addressing the economic crisis rather than attacking the opposition.

The remarks were made in a statement by Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in Abuja. Atiku’s comments came in response to an earlier statement from the Presidency, which claimed that his criticisms were fueled by jealousy.

The Presidency’s statement, issued on Sunday, accused Atiku of using political attacks as a means of undermining Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku said: “On July 8, 2024, Tinubu announced that import duty on essential goods like food would be lifted for 150 days. “

“But over 120 days later, the policy is yet to take off, while Nigerians continue to die daily due to increasing costs, including food inflation, which now exceeds 40 per cent, the highest in decades.

“The brazen disobedience to a government policy by Tinubu’s appointees and the failure of the Finance Ministry to issue a gazette after over four months reflects the fatuousness, inanity and incompetence that characterizes the Tinubu administration.

“Sadly, rather than focus on governance, they are preoccupied with verbally assaulting their opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, while using compromised courts to foster crisis in the opposition. What a shame.”

Atiku argued that Tinubu’s abysmal performance in the last 18 months had made it clear to all Nigerians that he came into office unprepared, hence the many policy flip-flops that have so far characterised his tenure.

He added, “Tinubu was unprepared for office. He acts first and thinks of the consequences afterwards. This was why he announced an abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy without any cushions. After seeing the effect, he then hurriedly decided to push a CNG initiative, which even he and his ministers have not embraced, hence their refusal to use it.“