Maha Christopher
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over worsening hunger and economic hardship in the country.
According to The Punch, Atiku said the recent warning by the United Nations that about 35 million Nigerians could face acute hunger between June and August 2026 reflected the failure of the current administration.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate described the situation as a growing humanitarian crisis.
“This is not just another alarming statistic. This is a human tragedy of terrifying proportions,” Atiku said.
He noted that millions of Nigerians were struggling with rising food prices, worsening inflation, and declining purchasing power.
The former vice president blamed the hardship on what he described as poor economic policies, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the handling of foreign exchange reforms.
“The abrupt and poorly sequenced removal of fuel subsidy without credible social buffers triggered the worst cost of living crisis in recent memory,” he stated.
“The chaotic mishandling of exchange rate policy sent the naira into a punishing tailspin, wiping out purchasing power, inflating import costs and crippling businesses.”
Atiku also linked the food crisis to insecurity in farming communities across several states, including Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, Sokoto, and Borno.
“How can a nation feed itself when farmers cannot safely access their farms?” he asked.
He accused the Federal Government of failing to provide effective economic coordination and adequate social protection for vulnerable Nigerians.
Atiku called on the government to declare a national food security emergency and introduce urgent support measures for farmers through subsidised inputs, improved access to credit, and protection for farming communities.
“A hungry nation is an angry nation, and no government should toy with that reality,” he added.
