By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a blistering critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as “one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments” in Nigeria’s democratic history.
In a strongly worded statement personally signed and released on Thursday, Atiku accused the Tinubu-led government of deepening poverty, increasing national debt to unsustainable levels, and governing in a manner that benefits the elite while punishing the poor.
“No previous administration in Nigeria has inflicted this level of hardship on the masses while simultaneously showing such blatant disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership,” Atiku said.
He argued that under Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria has not only remained the “poverty capital of the world”, but has also become the country with the highest number of malnourished children in Africa, surpassing war-torn Sudan. Citing the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Atiku noted that Nigeria currently ranks 18th among the world’s most hunger-affected nations.
Highlighting what he called “a deliberate policy bias against the poor,” Atiku condemned recent government decisions such as:
- A 75% hike in fees by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which introduced VIP service tiers for basic national ID processing.
- Public university fee increases, which he said have priced poor families out of higher education, with no compensatory support mechanisms.
- A “class-based governance system” in which wealthy Nigerians receive preferential treatment in healthcare, education, and access to public services.
Atiku also raised the alarm over what he called irresponsible fiscal policy, noting that Nigeria’s public debt has ballooned from N49 trillion in 2023 to N144 trillion in 2025, representing a 150% increase in just two years. He warned that ongoing loan requests could push the debt burden to N183 trillion, worsening the country’s economic crisis.
“In contrast, state governments have exercised more restraint, reducing their debts from N5.86 trillion to N3.97 trillion. The conclusion is simple: it is the federal government that is driving the current debt crisis,” he said.
He dismissed Tinubu’s justification that new borrowings are necessary to cushion the removal of fuel subsidies, describing it as “weak and dishonest.”
“It was the reckless and insensitive way his government removed the subsidy that created much of today’s economic hardship in the first place,” Atiku asserted.
The former vice president, who ran against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, warned against what he described as creeping authoritarianism and efforts to establish a “one-party state”.
“We will not stand by while democracy is turned into a tool for elite control. We reject attempts to silence dissent or centralize power,” he said.
Atiku announced that efforts are underway to build a united opposition coalition aimed at challenging the excesses of the current administration and restoring accountability.
“We are here to rescue Nigeria,” he declared. “And we will not stop until that goal is achieved.”
