Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his attempt to blame the opposition for the hunger and economic hardship facing Nigerians, describing the claim as an attempt to evade responsibility for his administration’s policies.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), argued that the Federal Government must take responsibility for the economic challenges confronting citizens instead of blaming opposition parties for drawing attention to their plight.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 24, 2026, and signed by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former vice president said the hardship experienced by Nigerians could not be denied by attributing it to political opponents.
“Mr President, blaming the opposition for hunger is either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia,” Atiku said, arguing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had governed the country for eight years before Tinubu assumed office and had remained in power for another three and a half years under his leadership.
He said Nigerians were aware of the party that had controlled the Federal Government and insisted that the hardship did not begin when opposition politicians started speaking about it.
“Stop insulting their intelligence and answer for your record,” he added.
Atiku maintained that the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians were real and could not be dismissed by shifting blame to political opponents.
He also criticised Tinubu over the reported commissioning of the unfinished Abuja-Kaduna Expressway from inside a stadium, arguing that a public ceremony could not substitute for the actual completion of an infrastructure project.
“A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate subsequently raised questions about the Federal Government’s economic policies and public expenditure, challenging the administration to account for developments in the petroleum sector, foreign exchange market and national finances.
He asked which administration removed the petrol subsidy and presided over the naira’s depreciation from about ₦471 to ₦1,329 to the dollar, presenting the developments as evidence of the need for the Tinubu government to account for its economic record.
Atiku also cited a World Bank estimate which he said projected that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be living below the national poverty line in 2026.
He further questioned the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside the operation of a separate 2025 budget, arguing that Nigerians deserved explanations about the government’s fiscal decisions.
On public expenditure, Atiku drew attention to what he described as ₦7.13 trillion recorded under “energy security” in 2024 and questions surrounding ₦11.2 trillion in Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC)-related pipeline spending.
“Nigerians deserve to know who received these sums and what was delivered,” he said.
The former vice president also raised questions about an alleged $12.4 billion gap flagged in Nigeria’s external accounts for the first half of 2026 and a reported $22.5 million paid in “other charges” on the Abu Dhabi financing facility.
He called for greater accountability over the figures, challenging the administration to explain the transactions and the outcomes associated with the expenditure.
Beyond the economy, Atiku accused the Federal Government of failing to address persistent insecurity, citing killings, kidnappings and the displacement of communities across the country.
He said these concerns, rather than accusations against the opposition, were the issues Nigerians expected the government to address.
“You cannot govern for three years, make life harder, and then blame others for describing the hardship,” Atiku said.
He added that while Tinubu had asked who created the hunger, Nigerians wanted to know what his administration had done to end it.
According to him, the performance of the government should be assessed by the living conditions of citizens in their homes, markets and communities rather than by explanations offered at political rallies.
Atiku described the 2027 presidential election as a referendum on Tinubu’s record, arguing that voters would assess the administration based on their experiences of its policies and their effects on daily life.
“The 2027 presidential election will be a referendum on your record,” he said, adding that Nigerians had already rejected the administration.