Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a fresh attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians through his economic policies and failure to tackle insecurity.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said Nigerians were battling rising food prices, expensive transportation, insecurity and poor welfare for police officers under the Tinubu administration.
His remarks were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu.
Reacting to President Tinubu’s recent comments defending the removal of petrol subsidy, Atiku said the president was celebrating the suffering of ordinary Nigerians instead of providing solutions.
“Bola, you are the Egypt Nigerians are desperate to escape. You celebrate the day you made fuel more expensive, then lecture families struggling to pay for food and transport about why they must never go back,” Atiku said.
He added: “A mother trying to feed her children cannot pay for food with a metaphor. A worker cannot get to work on a story about the Red Sea. Nigerians are asking how you intend to make life affordable. Answer them.”
The former vice president said an ADC government would introduce targeted support for petroleum products refined and sold within Nigeria. According to him, the intervention would not cover imported fuel, while independent auditors would monitor the programme to ensure transparency.
On insecurity, Atiku criticised the Federal Government’s response to the growing security challenges across the country.
Referring to comments allegedly made by Tinubu’s campaign Director-General, Atiku said: “What do you expect Tinubu to do when even Buhari, a general, could not wipe out insecurity?”
He responded by saying: “Let me remind them that President Yar’Adua was not a sergeant, yet he stamped it out.”
Atiku said President Tinubu must take decisive steps to stop killings, rescue kidnapped victims and restore safety across the country.
He added that the continued loss of lives under the present administration was “an indictment of his own leadership.”
The former vice president also expressed concern over the welfare of retired police officers.
He claimed that a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police told him he receives only ₦29,000 as monthly pension, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Atiku urged the President to sign the Police Exit Bill into law and review the salaries, pensions and retirement benefits of serving and retired police personnel.
“How can a President demand courage from police officers in the field while leaving them worried about food at home and destitution in retirement?” he asked.
Concluding his statement, Atiku said: “For millions of Nigerians, Egypt is the hunger, fear and indignity they are living through under you.”
He added: “Tinubu made life expensive. I will make life affordable again.”