African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to continue challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over policies he says have worsened economic hardship across Nigeria.
Atiku, a former Vice President, accused the Tinubu administration of reducing the purchasing power of Nigerians and increasing the burden on families, workers, traders and businesses.
He said his opposition to the government would not be limited to the 2027 election campaign, insisting that the opposition has a responsibility to hold the government accountable while it remains in office.
The former Vice President made his position known through a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, amid a growing exchange between the Atiku camp and the Presidency over the state of the Nigerian economy.
Atiku said Nigerians had continued to face higher costs of living following major economic decisions taken by the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira.
He said the consequences of those policies could be seen in the prices of food, transportation and other essential goods and services.
He said: “A President who can inflict this much pain on Nigerians should be able to survive hearing his own name.
“If Tinubu feels disrespected by being called his own name, he should imagine how Nigerians feel after being stripped of their purchasing power, crushed by inflation and instructed to endure hardship while those in power live extravagantly at public expense.
“Respect for the presidency cannot be demanded through intimidation. It must be earned through competent leadership, compassion and results.
“And he certainly does not have to wait for the campaign trail before demanding relief for millions of Nigerians whom Tinubu’s policies have pushed into poverty.
“Opposition is not seasonal. Accountability does not observe an electoral timetable.
“If Tinubu’s government can impose hardship every day, Atiku has the right to challenge it every day.
“Only people insulated from hardship by public funds could describe the daily misery of millions as “transient discomfort.”
“For the hungry child, this is not discomfort. For the bankrupt trader, this is not reform. For the unemployed graduate, this is not a foundation. It is failure.
“Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy without a coherent plan to protect Nigerians from the consequences.”
The latest comments form part of Atiku’s sustained criticism of the Federal Government over the rising cost of living.
In recent days, the ADC candidate has repeatedly called on Tinubu to take measures that would reduce pressure on Nigerians, especially in relation to petrol prices and energy costs.
On September 18, Atiku called on the President to use the remaining period of his administration to reduce the burden of rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
He argued that the effect of high energy prices goes beyond petrol stations because transportation, food distribution, farming and business operations all depend heavily on energy.
“When government makes energy expensive, it makes life expensive,” Atiku said in the address.
He also criticised the government’s reliance on palliatives to cushion the effect of its economic reforms, arguing that temporary assistance should not replace policies that address the causes of rising costs.
“Palliatives manage pain. Good policy addresses the source of the pain,” he said.
The former Vice President has also proposed a different approach to petrol pricing if elected in 2027.
Atiku said he would introduce what he described as a transparent production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians.
According to him, the proposal would be designed to support domestic production while reducing the cost of petroleum products for consumers.
The political disagreement between Atiku and Tinubu has also moved beyond economic policies.
Atiku and the ADC are currently challenging Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election in court.
The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, centres partly on allegations concerning documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including an NYSC discharge certificate attributed to the President.
Tinubu and the APC have rejected the allegations and asked the court to dismiss the case.
The legal battle suffered an early delay over the service of court documents on the President.
However, the court later granted Atiku and the ADC permission to serve the processes through the All Progressives Congress.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to September 28 for further proceedings.
Both men were major contenders in the 2023 presidential election, with Tinubu emerging as the winner of that election.
Atiku contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time, but has since moved to the ADC, where he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Politics Nigeria earlier reported that Tinubu’s Aides had criticised Atiku for addressing Tinubu by his first name ‘Bola’. The former Vice President’s camp responded that the issue should not distract from the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
Phrank Shaibu argued that public officials should remain open to criticism and that attention should instead be directed towards the rising cost of living.
“Bola is his name. Nigerians elected a president, not an emperor. Public office does not confer divinity, and the Presidential Villa is not a royal court before which citizens must kneel, bow and whisper,” Shaibu said.
The Atiku camp also maintained that the former Vice President would continue to scrutinise the Tinubu administration and present alternative policy proposals ahead of the 2027 election.
“Atiku will continue to speak. He will continue to propose solutions. He will continue to hold this administration accountable,” Shaibu said.
