As the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks its second anniversary, former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has issued a sharp critique of the government’s performance.
In a series of detailed posts on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, Atiku condemned the administration’s governance as catastrophic and accused it of dragging Nigeria into a worsening economic and social crisis.
Atiku did not mince words, describing the Tinubu-led government as “one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments in Nigeria’s democratic history.” He argued that the administration has inflicted unprecedented levels of hardship on Nigerians while exhibiting a blatant disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible governance.
According to him, no prior government has imposed such a heavy burden on the populace while simultaneously distancing itself from the principles of people-centered leadership. “No previous administration has inflicted this level of hardship on the masses while showing such disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership,” he stated.
Atiku accused the Tinubu government of aggravating poverty nationwide and engaging in “wasteful public spending” while neglecting the needs of the average Nigerian.
He pointed to the 2024 Global Hunger Index, which ranks Nigeria 18th globally for hunger and malnutrition, surpassing even conflict-ravaged Sudan in the number of malnourished children. This, he suggested, is a direct consequence of poor governance and misaligned national priorities.
He further highlighted the deteriorating cost of public services, especially in critical sectors such as education and identity registration. “Policy after policy under this administration has targeted the poor while providing relief and advantage to the rich,” he asserted.
Atiku cited the recent 75% hike in fees by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the introduction of VIP service protocols as examples of anti-poor policy decisions. “These are services that should be a basic right of citizenship, not luxury goods,” he said.
In the education sector, he lamented the sharp rise in public university tuition fees, saying that the increases have placed higher education out of reach for many poor families without any corresponding support systems. “There is no adequate support mechanism in place to cushion the burden on students and their families,” he added.
A central pillar of Atiku’s criticism centered on the administration’s handling of Nigeria’s public debt. He revealed that Nigeria’s total debt has risen sharply from N49 trillion in 2023 when President Tinubu assumed office, to a staggering N144 trillion in just two years—a 150% increase.
The situation, he warned, is further compounded by the government’s ongoing plans to borrow an additional $24 billion in foreign loans, which would raise the country’s total debt burden to over N183 trillion.
In a follow-up post, Atiku described the government’s borrowing spree as “a reckless and dangerous move that threatens the future of Nigeria and generations yet unborn.” He warned that such borrowing now exceeds 60% of Nigeria’s total foreign exchange reserves, calling the trend not just unsustainable but “immoral.”
He continued: “The Tinubu administration is borrowing not for development but to service existing loans, fueling a debt spiral that leaves nothing for infrastructure, education, healthcare, or jobs.”
Going further, Atiku likened the administration’s fiscal policies to a Ponzi scheme, where debts are continuously recycled without yielding developmental benefits.
“This addiction to borrowing, entrenched under the APC-led administration and now accelerated by President Tinubu, has turned public finance into a Ponzi scheme — borrowing to pay debt, then borrowing again to pay interest. Nigeria is now caught in a vicious cycle that mortgages the future to pay for the past,” he declared.
He labeled this borrowing pattern as economic sabotage in plain sight, urging urgent national and international intervention.
Atiku called on the National Assembly, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to step in and halt what he termed a reckless financial trajectory. “We demand that this reckless borrowing plan be halted immediately. Nigeria must not be sold into debt slavery,” he emphasized.
In addition to economic mismanagement, the former Vice President raised concerns about the state of Nigeria’s democracy, warning against the erosion of political plurality.
“As opposition leaders and partners committed to the future of Nigeria, we will not stand by and watch democracy be reduced to a tool for elite control. We reject any attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state where dissent is silenced and power is abused,” he warned.
Atiku reaffirmed the opposition’s commitment to democratic accountability. “We are building a strong, united opposition coalition — one that will challenge the excesses of this administration, restore accountability, and return government to the people,” he declared.
He urged all Nigerians to stay engaged and demand a more inclusive, transparent, and development-focused governance that truly serves the interests of the people.