“Tinubu should tackle hunger, insecurity, not opponents” – Atiku

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu, urging him to abandon what he described as political grandstanding and focus on tackling Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges.

The former Vice President made the remarks in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

The exchange followed President Tinubu’s remarks during an audience with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in Abuja, where he reportedly declared that he would “wrestle” his political opponents “to the finishing point” in the 2027 general election.

The bishops had urged political leaders and institutions to guarantee credible, transparent and peaceful elections.

Reacting to President Tinubu’s Tuesday declaration that he was prepared to “wrestle his opponents to the finish,” Mr Atiku said the remarks reflected the desperation of a leader struggling under the weight of his administration’s shortcomings.

Atiku faults Tinubu’s remarks

Mr Atiku described President Tinubu as “a drowning man” attempting to divert attention from what he called an abysmal record in office.

“Mr President, you are a drowning man. Wrestle with your failures, not your opponents,” Atiku declared.

He expressed concern that the President made the comment while responding to a call by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria for credible, transparent and peaceful elections, arguing that the occasion required reassurance and statesmanship rather than combative rhetoric.

According to Mr Atiku, President Tinubu’s response reflected the aloofness that has come to define his administration and demonstrated a lack of humility expected of a president addressing one of the country’s most respected religious institutions.

‘Focus on hunger, insecurity’

Rather than threatening political opponents, Mr Atiku urged the President to channel his efforts towards tackling inflation, food insecurity, unemployment, insecurity and Nigeria’s economic decline.

He said, “The President should wrestle with the millions of Nigerians who now skip meals because food has become a luxury.

“He should wrestle with the insecurity that has turned farming communities into graveyards and highways into hunting grounds for criminals.

“He should wrestle with the unemployment that has robbed an entire generation of hope. He should wrestle with an economy suffocating under policy inconsistency, reckless borrowing and dwindling investor confidence.”

The former Vice President argued that governments with poor records often resort to political theatrics to divert attention from public dissatisfaction.

“These are the words of a drowning man. A government that has little to celebrate inevitably seeks refuge in chest-thumping.

“But Nigerians are no longer interested in political performances. They are interested in performance in government.

“Empty slogans cannot fill empty stomachs. Boastful declarations cannot lower food prices. Threats against political opponents cannot restore the value of the naira,” Mr Atiku stated.

He further argued that the President’s greatest political challenge was the performance of his own administration.

“His greatest opponent is his own record. Every unpaid worker, every struggling business, every unemployed graduate, every victim of insecurity and every hungry family is a living testimony to the consequences of his administration’s choices. That is the contest he has consistently failed to win,” he added.

‘2027 will be decided by voters’

Mr Atiku reminded the President that democratic elections are decided by voters rather than political rhetoric.

“Democracy is a marketplace of ideas and accountability. Governments earn another term through competence, compassion and measurable results, not through combative rhetoric.

“In 2027, Nigerians will not be stepping into a wrestling arena. They will be stepping into polling units to deliver a constitutional verdict,” he said.

He urged President Tinubu to spend the remainder of his tenure confronting the country’s pressing challenges rather than engaging in political battles.

“The Nigerian people are not looking for a wrestler. They are looking for a leader. History will not remember who shouted the loudest. It will remember who governed the best,” Mr Atiku added.

Atiku faults fresh borrowing

Also on Wednesday, Mr Atiku accused President Tinubu’s administration of losing control of Nigeria’s public finances following reports that the Federal Government borrowed above the limit approved by the National Assembly in the 2024 fiscal year.

In another statement issued by Mr Shaibu, Atiku said figures showing that the Federal Government exceeded its approved borrowing ceiling by ₦4.79 trillion, raising total fresh borrowing to ₦12.62 trillion, reflected what he described as fiscal recklessness, opacity and waste.

According to him, Nigerians were assured that the removal of fuel subsidy, increased taxation and other economic reforms would reduce borrowing and stabilise public finances, but the reverse had occurred.

“The latest borrowing figures demonstrated that the government’s economic policies had failed to achieve their stated objectives,” he said.

“Nigerians were promised that the painful removal of fuel subsidy, repeated tax hikes and other harsh economic measures would reduce borrowing and restore fiscal stability.

“Instead, the country is witnessing the exact opposite: endless borrowing, ballooning debt and unprecedented waste.”

Raises concerns over debt, spending

Citing figures from the Budget Office, Mr Atiku noted that the Federal Government borrowed 61.2 per cent above the amount authorised by the National Assembly.

He also questioned the source of an additional ₦3.19 trillion reportedly obtained as budget support despite the absence of such provision in the approved appropriation.

The ADC presidential candidate alleged that the development formed part of a broader pattern of financial mismanagement.

“This is not an isolated incident. It fits into a disturbing pattern that has become the defining signature of the Tinubu administration: duplication, opacity and reckless fiscal management,” he stated.

Mr Atiku further accused the administration of operating duplicated budgets, concealing huge expenditures under the Service Wide Vote, creating what he described as “fake agencies,” and approving extravagant spending on luxury vehicles while critical sectors remained underfunded.

Questioning the impact of the borrowings, he argued that there was little evidence that the funds had translated into improvements in education, healthcare, security or infrastructure.

“The tragedy is that Nigerians are being forced to service debts whose benefits they cannot see,” he said.

He also cited reports that higher international crude oil prices generated an estimated ₦7.98 trillion oil revenue windfall for the Federal Government, arguing that such increased earnings should ordinarily have reduced the country’s dependence on borrowing.

“A government earning windfalls while borrowing recklessly is not suffering from lack of revenue; it is suffering from lack of discipline,” Mr Atiku declared.

The former Vice President further expressed concern over rising debt servicing obligations, noting that debt servicing reached ₦12.36 trillion, exceeding budgetary projections by more than 52 per cent.

He warned that Nigeria was approaching a dangerous fiscal position where government borrowing would largely be used to repay existing debts.

“This is not economic reform. It is fiscal vandalism,” he added.

Mr Atiku said an ADC-led government would prioritise blocking financial leakages, eliminating waste and directing public funds toward productive investments capable of stimulating economic growth and improving citizens’ welfare.

“The Nigerian people cannot continue paying today’s taxes to service yesterday’s loans while tomorrow’s generations inherit only debt,” the statement added.