Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and approach to governance are killing Nigerians and the focus should be on this instead of attacking the opposition parties.
Naija News reports that Mr. Atiku said this in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on Publicity, Plank Shaibu, in reaction to a statement by the Presidential Office on Sunday.
The former Vice President said, “On July 8, 2024, Tinubu announced the removal of import duties on essential goods such as food for 150 days. However, more than 120 days later, this policy is still not in full swing. Nigerians continue to die every day due to rising costs, including inflation, which is currently over 40%, the highest in decades.
“The brazen disobedience of government policy by Tinubu’s appointees and the failure of the Ministry of Finance to issue a gazette after more than four months reflects the bigotry, ignorance and incompetence that characterize the Tinubu administration. .
“Sadly, instead of focusing on governance, they verbally attack their opponents, Mr. Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi, while using a compromised court to foment a crisis in the opposition. I’m so obsessed with that!”
Mr. Atiku said that Mr. Tinubu’s abysmal performance over the past 18 months has made it clear to all Nigerians that he came into office unprepared, and has therefore failed to implement many of the policies that have characterized his tenure so far. He claimed that there had been a failure.
He said Tinubu was clearly not ready for office, adding that the president would act first and then consider the consequences.
“This is why he suddenly announced the removal of petrol subsidy without any cushion. Seeing its effect, he decided to rush ahead with the CNG initiative, which even he and his ministers did not accept. That is why we are refusing to use CNG,” the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate said.
Atiku pointed out that CNG initiatives have so far not been able to fully take off due to lack of gas infrastructure in most states, resulting in transportation costs continuing to rise along with food prices. He emphasized that there is.
He said: “In the medium-term expenditure framework, we expected the exchange rate to be N700 to $1 in 2024 and N650 to $1 by 2025. The foreign exchange reserves are $40 billion, but the net reserves are actually less than 20%.If you are confident in his performance, let the CBN release the 2023 financial statements.
Mr. Atiku said the military authorities’ announcement about the emergence of a new terrorist organization known as Laklawa was disappointing.
He argued that coupled with the continued collapse of the electricity grid in the north due to the activities of criminal elements, Tinubu should focus more on improving safety, which is a prerequisite for investment.
The former vice president claimed that the president decided to pursue security-oriented politics by appointing relatives to top security and economic positions.
“Even when it came to the economy, he placed his relatives in every important post, from Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment, CBN, Customs, FIRS. Even President Muhammadu Buhari was not this brazen.
“Unlike Tinubu, Atiku is not a bigot. He has not paid any restitution to the United States for drug trafficking charges,” the statement added.
He said that despite huge revenue challenges, Tinubu spent over $13 billion on the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal road, leaving scores of Lagosians homeless just to please his colleagues. He said other pressing issues are draining funding.
Mr. Atiku advised Mr. Tinubu to make hay while the sun shines because Nigerians are fed up with his administration.
He said the president has only two years left in his term and should focus on improving the lives of the people.
The statement further added: “It is ridiculous to claim that Atiku is jealous of Tinubu. No, Atiku cannot be jealous of Tinubu who is causing pain to Nigerians. A caring leader who truly cares about the well-being of Nigerians should not be jealous of T-Pain’s exclusive territory.”
“It is unfortunate that during the last protests, some disgruntled young Nigerians waved Russian flags and called for military occupation. God forbid we return to those dark days. However, leaders must not corner the people to the point where they choose the fire over the frying pan.
“Nigeria is currently Africa’s worst performing currency, currently the fifth largest economy on the continent, but was knocked from first place in 2015 when the fiasco called APC took over. Most Nigerians are at a loss, not knowing where their next meal will come from. This should be Tinubu’s main concern instead of sitting idly by while the country burns. ”
