The Presidency has responded strongly to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, accusing him of being “ignorant” and willfully blind to the government’s achievements over the past two years.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued a statement on Friday, rejecting Atiku’s claims and describing his remarks as driven by personal animosity rather than objective analysis.
Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had described Tinubu’s administration as the most punishing in Nigeria’s history, accusing it of worsening poverty and ignoring accountability and good governance.
“No previous administration has inflicted this level of hardship on the masses while showing such disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership,” Atiku said in a statement through his spokesperson, Paul Ibe.
Responding, Onanuga said Atiku’s criticism was unfair, insisting the Tinubu administration had made “significant progress” in stabilizing Nigeria’s economy through bold reforms.
“Unless former Vice President Atiku allowed personal grievances to cloud his judgment, he should, in good conscience, acknowledge the significant progress and positive achievements made by this administration over the past two years,” he said.
He emphasized that President Tinubu never promised painless reforms, but made it clear from the start that such measures were necessary to rescue Nigeria from looming fiscal collapse caused by unsustainable spending.
Onanuga defended major policy decisions such as the removal of petrol subsidies and unification of the foreign exchange market, noting that they were long overdue steps ignored by past administrations, including Atiku’s.
“These reforms have stabilized public finances, curbed systemic corruption, and attracted renewed investor interest,” he added.
Citing examples, he noted that the Nigerian Exchange saw its All-Share Index rise from 50,000 to over 110,000, and market capitalization more than doubled from ₦30 trillion to ₦69.4 trillion since Tinubu took office.
Onanuga also countered Atiku’s claim that Tinubu’s policies favored the wealthy at the expense of the poor, highlighting measures such as:
- The increase in the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000
- Social safety nets for vulnerable households
- Targeted interventions in key sectors
He dismissed Atiku’s comment on the state of education as “false,” accusing him of distorting facts to mislead the public.
“Everyone knows the claim is false. It is just an attempt to throw any muck at Bola Tinubu,” Onanuga said.
“Unless Atiku still lives in Dubai, he ought to admit that in just two years, President Tinubu has embarked on the most ambitious and audacious economic and institutional reforms seen in decades.”
He concluded by urging Nigerians to judge the administration based on its actions, not opposition rhetoric, and criticized Atiku for failing to offer constructive alternatives.
“Nigerians deserve opposition leaders who offer solutions, not just criticism. The public should remember that many of these critics had their chance to lead and failed, squandering national opportunities and resources,” the statement said.
