The Presidency launched a scathing rebuttal against former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for his recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement titled “Atiku Abubakar and his new hobby,” released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency accused Atiku of assuming the mantle of opposition leader against President Tinubu’s government.
The statement categorically dismissed Atiku’s assertions regarding the burden of living expenses and purported decline of the private sector, asserting that recent comparative cost of living indices clearly indicate that Nigerians still benefit from the continent’s lowest living costs.
Furthermore, the Presidency highlighted the administration’s relentless pursuit of economic reforms, including the abolishment of fuel subsidies and initiatives to standardize exchange rates, with the overarching goal of fostering enduring prosperity for all citizens.
The statement challenged Atiku to proffer credible policy alternatives instead of indulging in what it termed “uncharitable commentary” on the economy and the government’s initiatives. It underscored President Tinubu’s acknowledgment of the immediate challenges posed by reforms while emphasizing their potential for long-term benefits.
The statement read: “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has certainly found a new hobby to keep himself busy, having failed to achieve his lifelong ambition of becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is increasingly carving for himself the role of opposition-in-chief to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his government.
“However, we notice that the former Vice-President, just like in his political contests, is also doing a poor job of it, offering pedestrian and uninformed interventions on our economy and other matters of public concerns.
“Atiku’s latest diatribe was another uncharitable commentary on the state of the economy and the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu administration in remoulding it for sustained prosperity.
“Nigerians can easily see through the hypocrisy of Alhaji Atiku, who in accusing President Tinubu of poor response to the nation’s challenges and causing pains and despair, didn’t offer any better policy options in his run for the Presidency different from the economic reform agenda being pursued by President Tinubu.
“All the major candidates agreed that the fuel subsidy regime, which had become an albatross on the economy, must end. They all agreed that the multiple exchange rates must be fixed. Where President Tinubu and Atiku differed was in selling NNPC Limited and other national assets. Atiku went for this so he could sell these important national assets to his friends and cronies.
“President Tinubu removed the subsidy from Day One and announced moves to harmonise the exchange rates. Since then, he and his economic team have been working vigorously to harmonise the rates and also end the rampant and criminal arbitrage that the multiple windows allowed.”
The Presidency emphasized that Atiku should acknowledge the economic hurdles inherited by President Tinubu and the government’s unwavering commitment to effecting comprehensive reforms for the nation’s survival and economic resurgence.
The statement concluded with a firm call for Atiku to engage constructively and desist from politicking, urging him to acknowledge the government’s efforts in confronting and addressing prevailing challenges.
“We call on Alhaji Atiku to rise above political posturing and offer constructive contributions to national development rather than engaging in baseless criticisms,” the statement asserted.
The Presidency emphasized that President Tinubu’s administration remains steadfast in its commitment to steering the nation toward sustained growth and prosperity, despite the inherited economic challenges and persistent global uncertainties.
