Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Deepening Poverty Despite 'Prosperity' Claims in Independence Day Speech
Atiku Abubakar accused President Bola Tinubu's administration of plunging Nigeria into deeper poverty since 2023, despite Tinubu's October 1 speech declaring an 'age of prosperity.' Speaking at ADC's Abuja Secretariat on Nigeria's 66th Independence Day, Atiku cited specific economic declines: a ₦30,000 minimum wage bought 118 litres of petrol in April 2023, but ₦70,000 buys only 50 litres today; egg prices rose from ₦88 to ₦261; bread from ₦500 to ₦2,000. He argued growth statistics don't reflect lived reality as families skip meals and borrow to survive.
Atiku demanded transparency on alleged mismanagement, questioning how ₦750 billion in cash transfers reached 10 million Nigerians amid insecurity, and criticized the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract awarded to Hitech (Chagoury Group) without open tender. He urged accountability for unpaid contractors and challenged Tinubu's unfulfilled October 1 promise of lower transport fares, asking commuters where cheaper routes actually exist today.
From his alternative platform, Atiku proposed a capped production subsidy for locally refined Nigerian fuel—excluding imports—to lower pump prices, with published costs and independent audits. He framed the 2027 election as Nigerians' chance to choose a leader who delivers tangible affordability, warning against believing propaganda that election results are pre-determined. With Nigerians struggling to afford food, medicine and transport today, will you judge Tinubu's 'prosperity' claims by your actual purchasing power and ability to survive monthly expenses, or rely solely on government announcements?