The Nigerian Presidency has launched a scathing attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, criticizing his persistent opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s policies and questioning his understanding of current economic realities.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, in a statement released on Sunday, accused the former PDP presidential candidate of being driven by envy and personal ambition rather than genuine concern for national development.
“Since his defeat in the last election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has shown more interest in undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu than in addressing his party’s implosion. We suspect he is envious of Tinubu’s position—an office he has unsuccessfully sought six times,” Onanuga stated.
The Presidency particularly took issue with Atiku’s recent economic proposals, dismissing them as unrealistic and out of touch. “Atiku’s economic analysis demonstrates a significant misunderstanding of Nigeria’s realities. His narrative, ‘What We Would Have Done Differently,’ indicates an inability to engage with the pressing economic realities being revitalised multidimensionally under President Tinubu’s leadership,” the statement noted.
Addressing Atiku’s privatization proposals, the Presidency recalled the controversial history of asset sales during his tenure as vice president. “As vice president, Atiku oversaw the sale of the nation’s assets to private individuals and cronies at low prices. Today, most public enterprises Atiku sold have been stripped and become dead assets,” Onanuga pointed out.
The statement also defended the current administration’s approach to managing the refineries, arguing that the adopted model of private sector management is more practical than outright privatization. “The model of farming the completely rehabilitated refineries to private sector managers at an agreed-upon rate of return to the government is more practical and value-laden than selling our national patrimony,” the spokesperson explained.
On the controversial fuel subsidy removal, the Presidency dismissed Atiku’s suggestion of a phased approach as outdated. “Rather than pushing for unrealistic timelines, Atiku should recognise the necessity of President Tinubu’s bold reforms,” the statement emphasized.
The administration also highlighted its social intervention programs, noting that “20 million Nigerians are being targeted for direct cash transfers, an established social protection mechanism described as economically transformative by the World Bank and many development partners.”
The Presidency advised Atiku to “abandon his politics of distraction and fantasies and focus on constructive discourse,” while asserting that “President Tinubu remains focused on leading Nigeria toward a prosperous future and addressing our nation’s real challenges.”
