In a sharp rebuke to the current administration, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called on President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to apologize to Nigerians for the prevailing economic hardship. Abubakar described the president’s economic policies as a failure, arguing that the rising cost of living has left citizens struggling to cope with daily necessities.
In a statement signed by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Abubakar highlighted a stark contradiction between official government narratives and the lived reality of the average Nigerian. He noted that while the government frequently cites revenue announcements, workers are unable to afford basic transport fares, and families cannot feed their children.
“A mother cannot feed her children with a government revenue announcement. A worker cannot pay transport fare with a speech about reform. Nigerians do not eat GDP figures, FAAC allocations or PowerPoint presentations. The numbers must eventually arrive at the dinner table,” the statement read.
Abubakar cited assessments by international institutions to support his claims, referencing a June 2026 report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the IMF acknowledged that reforms had improved Nigeria’s macroeconomic outcomes, it also warned that conditions remained difficult for many citizens. The report estimated that 63 percent of Nigerians live under the national poverty line and noted that 27 million people faced food insecurity in the latter part of 2025.
The candidate further pointed to recent fuel-price pressures that have intensified the squeeze on household budgets. According to the statement, petrol was selling at approximately N1,400 per litre in Lagos and Abuja, and as high as N1,500 in parts of northern Nigeria in September, while diesel prices exceeded N2,000 per litre. Abubakar warned that these higher costs for fuel, food, and transport could further worsen poverty and food insecurity.
Concluding his critique, Abubakar challenged the philosophy of the current economic reforms, stating that it is unacceptable for the poor to surrender more while those already insulated from hardship become increasingly comfortable. He argued that after more than three years of promised gains, Nigerians are entitled to ask who is actually benefiting from the administration’s policies.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
