Atiku to President Tinubu: “I’m not envious of T-Pain suffering you’re causing Nigerians”

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has again criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that they are causing severe hardship for Nigerians.

In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku emphasized that Tinubu should concentrate on addressing the country’s challenges rather than directing attacks at opposition figures who are no longer in power.

The response followed a statement by Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who alleged that Atiku harbored jealousy after losing the 2023 presidential race.

Shaibu, speaking on Atiku’s behalf, he dismissed the notion, saying “Atiku, jealous of Tinubu inflicting pain on Nigerians? Hell no; wickedness is an exclusive preserve of T-Pain.”

In a statement Shaibu signed, Atiku said: “On July 8, 2024, Tinubu announced that import duty on essential goods like food would be lifted for 150 days. But over 120 days later, the policy is yet to take off, while Nigerians continue to die daily due to increasing costs, including food inflation, which now exceeds 40%, the highest in decades.

“The brazen disobedience to a government policy by Tinubu’s appointees and the failure of the finance ministry to issue a gazette after over four months reflects the fatuousness, inanity and incompetence that characterizes the Tinubu administration.

“Sadly, rather than focus on governance, they are preoccupied with verbally assaulting their opponents – Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi – while using compromised courts to foster crisis in the opposition. What a shame!”

He added, “Tinubu was obviously unprepared for office. He acts first and thinks of the consequences afterwards. This was why he announced an abrupt removal of petrol subsidy without any cushions. After seeing the effect, he then hurriedly decided to push a CNG initiative, which even he and his ministers have not embraced, hence their refusal to use it.

“The CNG initiative has so far failed to fully kick-off because of a lack of gas infrastructure in most states. The result is that transport costs continue to soar along with prices of food.

“In his mid-term expenditure framework, he projected an exchange rate of N700/$1 in 2024 and N650/$1 by 2025. Rather than sack his economic advisers, he continues to live in a fool’s paradise, deceiving Nigerians about the FX reserve of $40bn when, in fact, the net reserves are less than 20% of that. Let the CBN release its financial statements of 2023 if he is sure of his achievements.”

Atiku’s statement reflects rising tensions over Tinubu’s policies, which have drawn criticism for their impact on the country’s economy and citizens.