Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has once again voiced criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, expressing that the “trial-and-error” approach to governance has left Nigerians increasingly frustrated and worsened the country’s economic challenges.
In a statement he released Monday from Abuja, Atiku advised the Tinubu administration to take a step back, acknowledge its shortcomings, and recognize that relying solely on increased taxation will not resolve the ongoing economic crisis. Atiku’s response came after a statement from the Presidency suggested that an Atiku-led administration might have resulted in an even deeper economic crisis.
Reflecting on Tinubu’s governance approach, Atiku stated, “The difference between Tinubu’s struggling policies and the well-thought-out Recovery Plan my team developed is clear. Unlike this administration’s hasty ascent without a concrete plan, our approach was structured, drawing on contributions from Nigerians to ensure it was inclusive and effective.”
Critiquing what he described as Tinubu’s overreliance on superficial solutions, Atiku pointed to recent publicized prayer sessions as an example. “Isn’t it interesting that the Tinubu administration’s immediate response was a national prayer session led by the First Lady and NSA, just a day after I proposed practical solutions?” Atiku commented, adding, “Faith is commendable, but even scripture teaches the need for hard work and thoughtful planning.”
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s past economic successes, Atiku reminded Nigerians of the growth achieved during his tenure as Vice President. “Under our leadership from 1999 to 2003, Nigeria was at the peak of African economies. The average GDP growth rate under the Obasanjo administration was 6.59%, peaking at 15% in 2002, compared to the Tinubu era’s 2.8%.”
Atiku further emphasized that countries like the UAE, Qatar, and even Monaco, an EU territory with zero-income tax policies, have achieved economic success by fostering growth without heavy taxation. “Why are we imposing further hardship on already struggling Nigerians by increasing taxes instead of creating a pro-growth environment?” he questioned.
In a closing remark, Atiku reiterated his belief that the outcome of the 2023 presidential election didn’t reflect the will of the people. “The citizens who cast their votes know that I didn’t lose. We are in this predicament today because that election was unjustly taken from the Nigerian people,” he asserted.
https://x.com/atiku/status/1853454251504062936?t=LbU5jvESgIqTan1rzj-39Q&s=19
