Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his claim that opposition leaders created the hunger and poverty confronting Nigerians, accusing the President of shifting responsibility for the country’s economic difficulties.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, described Tinubu’s remarks as an attempt to evade responsibility for the hardship Nigerians are experiencing under his administration.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 24, 2026, by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former vice-president argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had governed Nigeria for more than a decade and should account for its economic policies and outcomes.
“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,” Atiku said.
He added that Nigerians were aware of the party in power and urged Tinubu to address concerns over the rising cost of living rather than blame opposition figures for highlighting the situation.
“The hardship your administration has brought upon Nigerians is real. You cannot deny it by blaming others,” he said.
Atiku questions highway commissioning
The ADC chieftain also criticised the President’s inauguration of an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway during the APC campaign flag-off in Kaduna.
Atiku questioned the state of completion of the project, arguing that a ceremonial commissioning could not substitute for the actual delivery of infrastructure.
“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,” he said.
The criticism followed Tinubu’s appearance at the Kaduna rally, where the President inaugurated the 81-kilometre section of the highway and accused opposition leaders of creating the hunger and poverty they now use to criticise his administration.
Questions subsidy removal, naira depreciation
Atiku also challenged the Tinubu administration over the removal of the petrol subsidy and the depreciation of the naira, asking the President to account for the economic consequences of his policies.
He cited the movement of the exchange rate from approximately ₦471 to the dollar to ₦1,329, alongside concerns about poverty and government expenditure.
The former vice-president referenced a World Bank estimate cited in his statement, claiming that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be living below the national poverty line in 2026.
He further questioned the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025, the operation of a separate 2025 budget and reported spending figures associated with energy security and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) pipeline-related expenditure.
Atiku called for explanations over the reported ₦7.13 trillion recorded under “energy security” in 2024 and ₦11.2 trillion in pipeline-related spending, asking the government to clarify how the funds were used and what outcomes they produced.
He also raised questions about an alleged $12.4 billion gap in Nigeria’s external accounts for the first half of 2026 and a reported $22.5 million in “other charges” relating to an Abu Dhabi financing facility.
The allegations and figures were contained in the ADC campaign statement and require independent verification.
Raises security concerns ahead of 2027
Beyond economic issues, Atiku criticised the Federal Government over persistent insecurity, citing killings, kidnappings and the displacement of communities across the country.
He argued that Nigerians expected the government to address these challenges rather than engage in exchanges with opposition leaders over who was responsible for the country’s difficulties.
“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,” he said.
Atiku maintained that the administration should be judged by its impact on households, businesses and communities rather than its explanations at political rallies.
He described the 2027 presidential election as an opportunity for Nigerians to assess Tinubu’s performance and decide whether to give him another term.
“The people will judge your government by the lives they are living, not by the excuses you offer at campaign rallies,” Atiku said.
The statement concluded with the former vice-president asserting that Nigerians had rejected Tinubu’s administration, although the claim represents Atiku’s political position rather than an established electoral outcome.
The exchange comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with economic hardship, infrastructure delivery, public spending and insecurity expected to feature prominently in the contest.
