Daily lens Report
The Presidency has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s warning that worsening hunger in Nigeria could trigger unrest, describing his claims as misleading and disconnected from the nation’s current economic realities.
In a statement on Monday, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, faulted Atiku’s remarks, which drew parallels between Nigeria’s situation and historical uprisings such as the French Revolution of 1789, the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the Arab Spring.
Onanuga argued that Atiku’s comments ignored recent positive economic indicators, citing National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showing a fifth consecutive decline in headline inflation in August, a trade surplus with non-oil exports contributing nearly half of the balance, and foreign reserves nearing $42 billion — up from $32 billion when Tinubu took office. He added that states are now meeting salary and gratuity obligations while funding capital and social projects.
“Contrary to Atiku’s doomsday rhetoric, Nigeria is moving in the right direction. The opposition remains stuck in the past, unwilling to acknowledge ongoing progress,” Onanuga said.
The Presidency further blamed many of Nigeria’s current challenges on mismanagement under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, where Atiku served as Vice President. Onanuga maintained that President Tinubu’s reforms, though tough, are laying the foundation for long-term economic stability.
Atiku, however, countered that the government’s narrative does not reflect the lived reality of Nigerians. In his statement, he accused the Tinubu administration of worsening hunger, poverty, and insecurity through ill-conceived policies, stressing that reforms without a “human face” were pushing citizens toward desperation.
“The masses of Nigerians are progressively wallowing in misery and poverty under the Tinubu-led APC government. Food insecurity has become a daily occurrence, and reforms have not eased the suffering,” Atiku said. He recalled that global revolutions — and Nigeria’s own #EndSARS protests — were driven by frustration and deprivation.
Atiku insisted that two years into the administration, there is still no evidence that Tinubu’s policies are addressing the country’s economic hardship, warning that ignoring widespread hunger could have destabilizing consequences.
Since taking office in 2023, President Tinubu has implemented major reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and currency liberalization. While these moves have drawn criticism for aggravating living conditions, the government insists they are essential for long-term recovery
