Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the Presidency’s defense of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying government claims of recovery do not match the reality of growing poverty, hunger and declining living standards.In a statement issued Monday by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate for 2027, said no official data could convince Nigerians that the economy was improving when millions are struggling to survive.
“The State House is celebrating macroeconomic numbers while ordinary Nigerians are dealing with microeconomic pain. They talk about GDP growth while families cannot afford three meals. They boast about debt ratios while businesses are shutting down,” Atiku said.Citing the *IMF*, Atiku noted that 63% of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, and about 27 million faced food insecurity in late 2025.
He added that while the IMF acknowledged some reform progress, it also warned that poverty remains high and social safety nets need to be strengthened.“Governments are elected to improve lives, not spreadsheets. Nigerians cannot eat GDP.
They cannot cook with exchange-rate adjustments,” he stated.Atiku also rejected the Presidency’s claim that critics were using outdated data, arguing that Nigerians are still feeling the impact of 2024 policies. “The Tinubu administration wants Nigerians to forget the very policies they are still suffering from daily. Economic policy is not a light switch,” he said.
He further questioned the government’s borrowing, asking why the administration continues to take new loans despite claims of higher revenue, subsidy removal, and better tax collection.
“The real issue is not how much we owe, but whether borrowed funds have delivered better infrastructure, jobs and living standards,” he said.On fuel subsidy removal, Atiku said citizens accepted the need for reform but have not seen the promised improvements in public services. “You cannot ask people to celebrate sacrifice when the benefits are nowhere to be found,” he added.He also knocked the government’s claims on health and education, saying projects and student loans do not amount to full reforms when millions still lack access to quality care and schooling.
Atiku concluded that the Presidency should focus less on press statements and more on solutions. “Governments are judged by whether families can afford food, businesses can stay open, youths can get jobs, communities are safe, and citizens have hope,” he said.
The exchange adds to the growing back-and-forth between the Presidency and opposition leaders over Tinubu’s reforms. While the FG insists subsidy removal, forex and tax reforms have stabilized the economy, critics argue the policies have deepened hardship without delivering results.
