Atiku Fires Back at Tinubu Over Hunger and Poverty Claims

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu over his reported claim that the opposition is responsible for hunger and poverty in Nigeria, arguing that the administration must answer questions about its economic policies and their impact on citizens.

In a statement issued to Naija News on Saturday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku accused Tinubu of shifting responsibility for the country’s economic difficulties. He cited petrol subsidy removal, the naira’s depreciation, poverty projections and questions surrounding government spending as part of his criticism.

Key Takeaways

Atiku Abubakar has rejected Tinubu’s reported claim that the opposition created hunger and poverty in Nigeria.
The former vice president argued that the administration should be held accountable for its economic record.
He raised questions about petrol subsidy removal, the naira’s exchange rate, poverty projections and budget arrangements.
Atiku also questioned reported figures relating to energy security, NNPC pipeline-related spending and external financial accounts.
He linked the debate over economic hardship to the 2027 presidential election.
The financial figures and allegations cited in Atiku’s statement require independent verification and should not be treated as established wrongdoing solely on the basis of his claims.

Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Shifting Responsibility for Hunger

Atiku’s response centred on the question of who should be held responsible for the hardship Nigerians are experiencing. He argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which governed the country before Tinubu took office and has continued under his presidency, cannot avoid scrutiny by blaming opposition parties.

In his statement, Atiku directly challenged the President’s reported position.

QUOTE BLOCK 1 — ATIKU’S RESPONSE TO TINUBU

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’s statement framed the dispute as a question of political responsibility. Rather than accepting the argument that the opposition was responsible for hunger, he called on Tinubu to account for the decisions made by his administration.

Petrol Subsidy Removal, Naira Depreciation and Poverty Projections

Atiku also pointed to economic policy decisions and indicators that he believes reflect the administration’s performance. Among the issues he raised were the removal of the petrol subsidy, the depreciation of the naira, poverty projections and the handling of government budgets.

He questioned the commissioning of the Abuja–Kaduna Expressway, alleging that the project was unfinished when Tinubu commissioned it. The project’s status and the circumstances of the event would need to be independently established before being presented as confirmed fact.

QUOTE BLOCK 2 — ATIKU’S QUESTIONS ABOUT ECONOMIC POLICY

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.

Atiku then questioned the administration’s responsibility for the removal of the petrol subsidy and the exchange-rate movement he cited.

Which administration removed the petrol subsidy and watched the naira fall from about ₦471 to ₦1,329 to the dollar?

He also referred to a World Bank poverty projection and raised concerns about the handling of the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

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?

The figures and claims in these passages should be checked against the relevant World Bank publication, official exchange-rate data and budget documents. In particular, the exchange-rate comparison needs a clear date range and a consistent rate series to ensure that readers can interpret it accurately.

Atiku Raises Questions About Government Spending

Beyond household hardship and economic policy, Atiku questioned government spending figures and financial transactions. He referred to reported spending under the heading of energy security, NNPC pipeline-related expenditure, an external-account gap and charges associated with an Abu Dhabi financing facility.

These are separate financial matters. Their meaning depends on the underlying records, the accounting categories involved and the periods covered. Atiku’s questions should therefore be understood as allegations and requests for explanations, rather than proof that funds were improperly handled.

QUOTE BLOCK 3 — ATIKU’S PUBLIC SPENDING AND TRANSPARENCY QUESTIONS

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.

Atiku also questioned figures he associated with Nigeria’s external accounts and financing costs.

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?

The supplied statement does not provide the underlying financial documents or detailed explanations for these figures. Establishing what the numbers represent would require checking the relevant official reports and financing records, including the definitions used for the reported amounts.

Insecurity Also Features in Atiku’s Criticism

Atiku’s statement extended beyond economic policy and government spending to include insecurity. He questioned the administration’s responsibility for killings, kidnappings and displacement in affected communities, presenting security concerns as another measure by which the government should be judged.

He included these issues in a broader challenge to the President’s defence of his administration.

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 statement did not provide a detailed breakdown of individual security incidents. The remarks should therefore be presented as Atiku’s political criticism rather than an independent assessment of responsibility for every incident mentioned.

Atiku Says Nigerians Will Judge Tinubu’s Record in 2027

Atiku argued that the President should focus on addressing hardship instead of criticising those who speak about it. He maintained that the administration would ultimately be judged by the conditions Nigerians experience in their homes, markets and communities.

He summarised his challenge to Tinubu in a brief statement.

QUOTE BLOCK 4 — ATIKU’S CLOSING CHALLENGE

You asked who created the hunger. Nigerians are asking what you have done to end it.

The ADC presidential candidate also connected the dispute to the next presidential election, presenting the 2027 poll as an opportunity for voters to assess the administration’s record.

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.

The final statement reflects Atiku’s political position and should not be interpreted as evidence of how Nigerians as a whole intend to vote. The election outcome remains a future event.

What Happens Next?

The dispute highlights competing political narratives about the causes of Nigeria’s economic hardship. Atiku has placed responsibility on Tinubu’s administration and cited economic policies, public spending and security concerns to support his criticism. Tinubu’s reported position, as described in the supplied article, places responsibility on the opposition.

A fuller assessment of the claims would require checking the economic figures against official data, examining the relevant spending records and considering responses from the Presidency or other responsible institutions. Those steps would help readers distinguish political arguments from independently verified evidence.

As the 2027 election approaches, economic conditions and the government’s record are likely to remain important subjects of political debate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why did Atiku Abubakar criticise President Bola Tinubu?

Atiku criticised Tinubu over his reported claim that the opposition was responsible for hunger and poverty in Nigeria. He argued that the administration should answer for its economic policies and record.

2. What did Atiku say about hunger and poverty?

He argued that the government should not blame the opposition for hardship and should instead explain what it has done to address the difficulties Nigerians face.

3. Which economic policies did Atiku question?

He raised questions about petrol subsidy removal, the naira’s depreciation, poverty projections and the handling of the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

4. What did Atiku say about the naira?

He questioned the exchange-rate movement from approximately ₦471 to ₦1,329 per US dollar. The dates, rate series and comparison basis need independent verification.

5. What spending figures did Atiku raise?

He cited ₦7.13 trillion under “energy security,” ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related spending, a $12.4 billion external-account gap and $22.5 million in “other charges” associated with an Abu Dhabi financing facility.

6. Have the financial allegations been independently established?

The supplied statement does not include the underlying documents needed to establish the figures or determine their meaning. They should be checked against official records before being presented as independently confirmed findings.

7. What did Atiku say about the 2027 election?

He described the 2027 presidential election as a referendum on Tinubu’s record and argued that voters would judge the administration by their experiences.

8. Did the supplied report include a response from Tinubu or the Presidency?

No direct response to Atiku’s specific claims is included in the supplied material. Any response should be obtained and accurately attributed before publication if available.

9. Why is the dispute important to Nigeria’s economy?

The disagreement concerns responsibility for economic hardship, the effects of government policies and questions about public spending. These issues affect public debate about economic management and accountability.

10. What should readers watch for next?

Readers can look for verified economic data, official explanations of the spending figures, responses from the Presidency and further debate about economic policy as the 2027 election approaches.

Conclusion

Atiku Abubakar’s response to Tinubu has turned the debate over hunger and poverty into a wider argument about economic management, public spending, insecurity and political accountability. His statement raises questions that can be assessed against official records, but the numerical claims and allegations require verification before they can be treated as established facts.

The central issue remains whether competing political claims about Nigeria’s economic hardship can be tested against evidence and the outcomes experienced by citizens.

What do you think? Should political leaders focus more on defending their records or explaining how they intend to address hunger, poverty and insecurity? Share your views respectfully in the comments.