The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of focusing more on attacks against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar than addressing Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship, insecurity and rising cost of living.
The opposition party made the allegation on Monday in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, while Atiku separately criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying government statistics could not hide the daily realities facing millions of Nigerians.
According to the ADC, the ruling party has deliberately shifted attention from pressing national challenges by responding to recent comments made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo about Atiku rather than addressing concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops on the state of the nation.
The party argued that Nigerians expected answers to issues such as worsening poverty, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of essential goods instead of political attacks on critics.
The ADC maintained that the Tinubu administration had failed to provide convincing explanations for the country’s economic difficulties and accused the APC of prioritising political narratives over governance.
The party also defended Atiku’s record as Vice President under the Obasanjo administration, arguing that Nigeria experienced stronger economic growth, improved investor confidence and greater macroeconomic stability during that period.
In a separate statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the Presidency’s defence of Tinubu’s economic performance as an attempt to replace results with propaganda.
He argued that while government officials continued to highlight improvements in macroeconomic indicators, ordinary Nigerians were struggling with rising living costs, declining purchasing power and worsening economic conditions.
According to Atiku, economic success should be measured by improvements in citizens’ welfare rather than headline statistics.
“Governments are not elected to improve spreadsheets. They are elected to improve the lives of their people. Nigerians cannot eat GDP,” he stated.
Atiku cited figures from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), claiming that hundreds of manufacturing firms had either shut down or were experiencing severe financial distress due to the prevailing economic environment.
He also alleged that manufacturers were burdened by rising production costs, including increased electricity tariffs and higher diesel expenses, making it difficult for businesses to remain competitive.
The former vice president further referenced recent findings by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which indicated that a significant proportion of Nigerians were living below the national poverty line while millions continued to face food insecurity.
According to him, these indicators reflected the widening gap between official government projections and the economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.
Atiku also criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that while Nigerians accepted the need for reforms, they expected the savings to translate into improved infrastructure, healthcare, education and social welfare.
Instead, he said, citizens were experiencing record fuel prices, increased transport costs, soaring food prices and declining living standards.
READ MORE: Obasanjo: Picking Atiku As VP Was My Biggest Political Mistake
He further argued that increased federal allocations to states should not be presented as evidence of true fiscal restructuring, insisting that genuine federalism requires greater devolution of powers and stronger institutions.
The opposition party called on the APC-led administration to focus on tackling insecurity, reducing inflation, creating jobs and improving the welfare of Nigerians instead of engaging in political disputes ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to the ADC, the outcome of the next election will ultimately be determined by the everyday experiences of Nigerians rather than political rhetoric.
The Presidency has consistently defended its economic reforms, maintaining that measures such as fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate reforms and fiscal restructuring are laying the foundation for long-term economic recovery and sustainable growth.
