Atiku Abubakar Critiques Tinubu's Economic Claims

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu's claims regarding Nigeria's economic progress, stating that citizens are facing increasing poverty, food insecurity, and declining purchasing power. In a statement released on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, questioned why Nigerians are becoming poorer despite government assurances of positive economic reforms.

He argued that the reliance on macroeconomic indicators like GDP growth ignores the harsh realities faced by ordinary Nigerians. Atiku cited the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest findings, which indicate that 63% of Nigerians live below the national poverty line and about 27 million people faced food insecurity in late 2025.

He criticized the government's handling of subsidy removal and questioned the effectiveness of public borrowing, emphasizing that the benefits of economic policies have yet to materialize for the average citizen. Atiku called for answers regarding the government's contradictory economic claims.