Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria has entered an “age of prosperity,” saying millions of Nigerians are struggling with rising living costs.
Atiku spoke Thursday in an Independence Day address in Abuja, hours after Tinubu said his administration’s economic reforms had moved the country beyond its most difficult phase and laid the foundation for prosperity.
But Atiku said Nigerians were yet to feel the benefits of the reforms, citing rising food, fuel, transportation and health care costs.
“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,” he said.
Atiku criticized the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying it had contributed to higher fuel and transportation costs and increased the cost of moving goods.
“Bola, where is the benefit?” he asked, referring to the government’s promise that subsidy savings would benefit Nigerians.
He also questioned the administration’s emphasis on falling inflation and economic growth, arguing that improved economic indicators must translate into better living conditions.
“A slower rise in prices does not restore what families have lost,” Atiku said. “Growth must improve lives.”
The ADC candidate also criticized government borrowing, spending, budget implementation and social intervention programmes, calling for greater transparency and independent audits of public funds.
Atiku proposed a capped and budgeted production subsidy for petrol refined in Nigeria, including fuel from modular refineries. He said imported petrol would not qualify and that the programme would be independently audited.
“The principle is simple: produce here, refine here, create jobs here and pay less here,” he said.
He also called for greater transparency in major infrastructure contracts and urged the government to publish bidding documents, contract terms and variations.
On security and political freedoms, Atiku called for respect for due process and greater protection for citizens. He also urged Nigerians to protect their votes in the 2027 general election.
“Your vote must count as you cast it,” he said.
Atiku’s address offered a contrasting assessment of Tinubu’s economic reforms, which the president has defended as necessary measures to stabilize the economy and create the conditions for long-term growth.
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