The Presidency has strongly rebuffed recent criticisms by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing his remarks as “vitriolic” and lacking in constructive value.
In a statement made available by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency accused Atiku of peddling falsehoods and ignoring the administration’s achievements in the last two years.
Onanuga said, “Every line of the blanket criticism reeks of hate. Except the former Vice President was beclouded while spewing his commentary, why did he fail to acknowledge any of the positive strides made by this government?”
Acknowledging Atiku’s right to express his views in a democratic setting, Onanuga said the Tinubu administration could not allow misrepresentations to go unchallenged.
He said, “If Atiku no longer resides in Dubai, he ought to admit that in just two years, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on some of the most ambitious economic and institutional reforms seen in decades.”
According to the presidential aide, Tinubu’s economic policies—particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market—were steps long considered necessary by past administrations, including that of Obasanjo, under whom Atiku served as Vice President, but were never implemented.
He said, “These are reforms Atiku himself promised in his campaign manifesto. All major candidates in the 2023 election agreed on the necessity of these reforms. President Tinubu, as the eventual winner, has borne the responsibility of implementing them.”
The Presidency said contrary to Atiku’s claims that government policies were “anti-people,” the Tinubu administration has expanded investments in social programmes and safety nets. These include the introduction of a new Student Loan Scheme and the doubling of the national minimum wage—from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000—with some states paying as much as ₦85,000.
The statement reads in part, “Since last year, over 600,000 students have benefitted from the loan scheme which covers tuition and living expenses. It does not yet extend to expensive private institutions like Atiku’s American University in Yola, but no honest observer can deny that under Tinubu, access to higher education has expanded significantly.”
The presidential spokesman also pointed to Tinubu’s efforts in revitalising primary healthcare, expanding health insurance coverage, and reducing the cost of essential medicines.
Onanuga also dismissed Atiku’s allegation that the 2025 budget was being funded by fresh borrowing. He described the claim as “social media gossip,” adding that the Finance Minister had clarified the true nature of the proposed $1.2 billion loan.
He said, “Because Atiku cannot stomach Tinubu’s resolve, he ignores the significant fiscal progress made in the past two years. Government revenue has increased substantially. The debt service-to-revenue ratio has dropped from 93 percent to 60 percent. We’ve paid off the $3.2 billion IMF loan from the COVID-19 era and ended Ways and Means deficit financing for the first time in decades.”
The statement added that state governments were now receiving higher federal allocations, allowing them to pay debts and boost local development.
Onanuga maintained that while the government acknowledged the pains associated with reforms, it remained committed to cushioning the impact through sustained investment in people-oriented programmes.
Quoting Tinubu’s recent second anniversary statement, Onanuga said, “We have made progress. Inflation is easing, food production is rising, investments are returning, and the foundation for a more prosperous, just, and inclusive Nigeria is being laid.”
He reassured Atiku and the opposition that President Tinubu, a known democrat, would not curtail their rights or silence dissenting voices.
But the Presidency urged the former Vice President to elevate the tone of his interventions.
“Criticism must be constructive,” Onanuga said. “If Atiku opposes any policy, he should offer alternatives. Otherwise, such statements will be dismissed as partisan rhetoric and cheap talk.”
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to judge the Tinubu administration based on its actions rather than the pronouncements of those “who once had the opportunity to lead, but squandered it—selling national assets for pittance and shortchanging their compatriots.”
