In a war of words, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Presidency engaged in a fiery exchange on Sunday, trading barbs over the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu. Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took to X (formerly Twitter) to decry the growing hunger in the nation, blaming Tinubu's economic strategies for soaring commodity prices, including the basic necessity of bread.
Responding swiftly, the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Atiku of assuming the role of a "poor opposition-in-chief." Onanuga defended Tinubu's reforms, asserting that although they might cause immediate pain, they are designed to usher in an era of prosperity in the medium and long terms.
Atiku, however, did not mince words, attributing the economic challenges to what he termed as Tinubu's "poor policies." He criticized the APC candidate's economic initiatives, labeling them as "uninformed, arbitrary, and chaotic." Atiku specifically targeted Tinubu's maiden budget of N28.7 trillion, asserting it lacked concrete ideas for economic transformation.
In a counter-statement, Onanuga dismissed Atiku's claims, challenging the former VP to provide better policy options. He defended Tinubu's removal of the petrol subsidy and the harmonization of exchange rates, emphasizing that the President is committed to reforming the economy for long-term benefits. Onanuga refuted Atiku's assertions about the shrinking private sector and multinational companies leaving the country, stating they were not grounded in facts.
The statement concluded with Onanuga affirming President Tinubu's dedication to tackling Nigeria's economic and security challenges through fiscal and tax policy reforms. Despite Atiku's criticisms, Onanuga insisted that the serious work of nation-building, set in motion by President Tinubu, would persist, undeterred by political bellyaching.
