Former vice‑president and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said on Monday that he will “challenge President Bola Tinubu daily” over policies he claims are driving Nigerians into poverty and hardship. In a statement released by his media aide Phrank Shaibu, the 2027 candidate warned that the current administration’s actions have stripped ordinary citizens of their purchasing power.
Atiku accused Tinubu’s government of “crushing” Nigerians with soaring inflation while “those in power live extravagantly at public expense.” He argued that respect for the presidency cannot be secured through intimidation, but must be earned through “competent leadership, compassion and results.”
“Opposition is not seasonal. Accountability does not observe an electoral timetable,” Atiku said, adding that the president should not have to wait for a campaign trail to address the suffering of millions. He emphasized that “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.”
The former vice‑president also singled out the removal of the petrol subsidy, saying Tinubu “removed the petrol subsidy without a coherent plan to protect Nigerians from the consequences.” Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has been grappling with high inflation and rising living costs, a backdrop that Atiku says underscores the urgency of his daily challenge to the president’s policies.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
