Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of shifting responsibility for hunger and poverty in Nigeria to the opposition, describing the claim as an attempt to avoid accountability for his administration’s policies.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, said Nigerians were experiencing hardship under the current government and that the President should address concerns about the economy rather than blame political opponents.
He made the remarks in a statement issued on Saturday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.
Responding to Tinubu’s claim that the opposition also helped to create hunger and poverty, Atiku said the President’s position showed either a failure to recognise the country’s political history or an attempt to deflect attention from his record in office.
“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.”
Atiku called on Tinubu to take responsibility for the economic conditions facing Nigerians, arguing that the administration’s decisions had contributed to the rising cost of living.
He also questioned the President’s handling of infrastructure projects, citing the commissioning of the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway from a stadium despite concerns over the road’s completion.
“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.”
The former vice president also challenged Tinubu to explain what his government had done to ease hunger and improve living conditions, rather than question those criticising its policies.
“You asked who created the hunger. Nigerians are asking what you have done to end it,” he said.
Atiku further said the administration would be judged by its performance ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that voters would consider the effect of government policies on their daily lives.
“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,” Atiku added.
