African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his recent promise to introduce measures aimed at reducing the cost of living for Nigerians.
Atiku argued that Tinubu could not condemn his proposal to reduce the cost of energy and improve living conditions, only to adopt similar measures and present them under the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
His position was contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
Atiku said his focus was on Nigerians struggling with the rising cost of food, transportation, energy and other basic needs.
“Atiku has more important people to engage directly: the mother struggling to feed her children; the civil servant whose salary disappears into transportation; the farmer paying more to move produce to market; the student being pushed into debt simply to remain in school; and millions of Nigerians whose daily reality bears no resemblance to the prosperity advertised in your tweets,” the statement said.
The former vice president questioned the government’s decision to criticise his proposal to reduce energy costs while announcing plans to provide cheaper transportation, increase food production and introduce relief measures for vulnerable Nigerians.
“And that is where the contradiction in your statement becomes impossible to ignore. You condemn Atiku’s proposal to reduce the cost of energy as a return to the past, yet in the same breath promise that, ‘in the next few weeks,’ your government will provide cheaper transportation, increase food production and introduce relief for vulnerable Nigerians. Bola, why now?” he asked.
Atiku maintained that Nigerians had endured severe economic hardship for more than three years, with rising transport fares, food prices and energy costs eroding household incomes.
He said many families had been forced to make difficult choices, including skipping meals, postponing medical treatment and withdrawing children from school.
“Throughout that period, your government repeatedly told Nigerians that their suffering was the unavoidable price of reform. Now, suddenly, cheaper transportation has become urgent,” Atiku said.
He also questioned why the government had taken several years to acknowledge the need for interventions aimed at making economic growth more beneficial to ordinary Nigerians.
“Why did Nigerians have to suffer for more than three years before your government discovered that economic growth must reach ‘the dining table and the pocket’?
“Why is intervention backward when Atiku proposes it, but progressive when you announce it?
“You cannot condemn cheaper living when Atiku proposes it and rename the same objective Renewed Hope when you promise it. That is not economic consistency. It is political convenience,” he said.
