Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar says the past three years under President Bola Tinubu have plunged Nigeria into the most severe cost of living crisis in the country’s history.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke on Thursday in his state of the nation address delivered at the ADC headquarters in Abuja.
He criticised the economic policies of the Tinubu administration and accused the government of worsening hardship in the country. “Sixty-six years after independence, millions of Nigerians are fighting for things a free country should never put beyond their reach: food on the table, a wage that lasts the month, and a safe journey home,” Atiku said.
“The past three years under Bola Tinubu have plunged Nigeria into the most severe cost of living crisis in our history. Families are not merely tightening their belts. They are skipping meals, delaying treatment and borrowing to survive until payday. And what has this government asked of them? More patience. More sacrifice. More faith in figures they cannot eat.
“While Nigerians are lectured about hardship, those in power preside over brazen waste, corruption and a budget process that makes a mockery of fiscal discipline.
“The people are told there is no money to ease their pain, yet government always seems to find money for its own appetites. The former vice-president also criticised the removal of petrol subsidy, saying the policy had increased the cost of transportation and food without providing adequate relief for Nigerians.
He said the policy caused petrol and transport costs, as well as the cost of moving food, to rise. Atiku also rejected Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria had entered an “age of prosperity”, saying economic indicators cited by the government did not reflect the reality of ordinary Nigerians.
“Bola says inflation has fallen. A slower rise in prices does not restore what families have lost,” he said.
“He cites growth and rising exports. Nigerian businesses deserve credit for what they have achieved. But growth must improve lives. It cannot be a certificate of success that government awards itself while citizens struggle to survive.
“Bola, you call Nigeria a patient with cancer. After three years of your treatment, why is it harder for Nigerians to buy food, pay for medicine or even get to work? Why does your government have more money while the people can afford less?”
On insecurity, Atiku said armed groups had killed thousands and displaced families, leaving farmers unable to access their fields and parents afraid for their children.
He said the Tinubu administration had failed to make life affordable and protect Nigerians.Atiku proposed a capped and budgeted production subsidy for petrol refined in Nigeria, including fuel from modular refineries.
“The benefit must reach consumers through lower pump prices. We will publish the costs, independently audit the payments and cut government waste to help fund the programme,” he said.The principle is simple: produce here, refine here, create jobs here and pay less here.
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