Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly responded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of hypocrisy, historical misrepresentation, and political desperation following recent remarks on Nigeria’s privatisation programme.
The exchange began after President Tinubu, while hosting a delegation of Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House, accused Atiku of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and questioned the effectiveness of some privatisation initiatives carried out during his tenure as head of Nigeria’s privatisation council.
Tinubu referenced past privatisation efforts, including the steel sector in Delta State and the Ajaokuta Steel Company, suggesting they had not delivered expected results.
In response, Atiku’s media office, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described the President’s comments as reckless and misleading, arguing that they reflect a lack of understanding of Nigeria’s economic reform history.
The statement defended Atiku’s role in earlier privatisation programmes, insisting that several companies that emerged from the process, including Oando, Conoil, Ardova Plc, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Benue Cement Company, and Transcorp Hilton Abuja, remain evidence of successful reforms.
It also argued that the current administration has continued economic restructuring without transparency, particularly in the oil sector, claiming that reforms under Tinubu lack accountability and clarity.
The response further criticised the President’s remarks as an attempt to distract from Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions, pointing to rising inflation, hardship, and insecurity affecting citizens across the country.
Atiku’s camp maintained that his record in public service is well documented and defensible, while suggesting that questions around the President’s background and academic history remain unresolved.
The statement concluded that national leadership should focus on facts and governance rather than personal attacks and political rhetoric.
