Tinubu mocks Atiku’s privatisation role, questions steel deals at Abuja meet

Tinubu mocked Atiku Abubakar’s past role as chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, speaking at a Renewed Hope Agenda meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, April 16, 2026. He questioned the outcomes of privatisation projects from the Obasanjo era, specifically asking whether the steel industry in Delta and the Ajaokuta Steel Company are working today, and remarked that Atiku once headed the privatisation council.

The remarks revive public debate over whether past privatisations delivered expected benefits, especially as Tinubu’s administration faces its own economic challenges. By highlighting perceived failures of earlier reforms, the president positions himself as correcting past mistakes, a narrative likely to resonate with voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

Tinubu also said the privatisation team “privatized another man’s political party,” without naming it, and spoke alongside Renewed Hope Ambassadors and APC leaders. Considering Tinubu’s claims, will you assess the privatisation record based on current industrial performance, or view the comments as political rhetoric aimed at weakening opposition figures?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/16/tinubu-mocks-atiku-over-role-in-nigerias-privatisation-program/