Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, has renewed his criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to abandon his “shambolic ‘bolekaja’ economic policies” that are negatively impacting Nigerians.
Atiku’s remarks came on Monday via his X platform (formerly Twitter), following comments from Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. Onanuga had claimed that, had Atiku won the election, he would have led the nation into greater difficulties or engaged in cronyism.
Atiku previously outlined various economic measures he would have implemented if he had secured victory, suggesting that some of these could benefit the current administration. In response, Onanuga dismissed Atiku’s proposals as vague and pointed out that they had been rejected by voters.
Atiku countered by asserting that the 2023 presidential election was “criminally stolen” from him, attributing Nigeria’s current economic issues to this alleged injustice.
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“I have taken note of the initial responses highlighting the striking disparity between President Tinubu’s faltering economic policies and the alternatives I have proposed,” he stated. “It is exciting to witness such a vigorous debate on these critical matters, and I sincerely hope that this discourse will ultimately benefit Nigeria and its citizens.”
He continued, “Like many fellow Nigerians, I firmly believe that we find ourselves in this current economic turmoil due to the Tinubu administration’s hasty ascent to power, devoid of a coherent plan.”
Atiku contrasted his proposed Recovery Plan, which he emphasized was developed with input from Nigerians, with what he characterized as the Tinubu administration’s lack of strategy. “Isn’t it fascinating how the so-called ‘tested’ Tinubu administration’s only policy response seems to be a national prayer led by the First Lady and the NSA? Just a mere 24 hours after I proposed my alternative solutions! What a bold strategy!”
While acknowledging the value of prayer, he emphasized the necessity of hard work, stating, “However, the sacred texts also counsel us to engage in diligent labour and hard work.”
He criticized Tinubu’s team for claiming his proposals are untested, arguing instead that it is the administration’s erratic policies that have led to the current economic crisis. “Let us not forget that under our economic stewardship between 1999-2003, Nigeria soared to the pinnacle of Africa’s economies, while their administration has relegated us to a disheartening fourth position,” he asserted.
Atiku noted that during his time in office, Nigeria’s GDP growth averaged 6.59%, peaking at 15% in 2002, contrasting it with the Tinubu era’s 2.8%. “Enough of the pains of the shambolic ‘bolekaja’ economic policy prescriptions!” he declared.
He also highlighted that successful nations like the UAE and Qatar have thrived with lower taxation, questioning why Nigeria is pursuing further economic hardship. “One can only speculate that Tinubu’s government is anchored to a mere Tea-plan, which can only lead to a T-pain.”
Finally, Atiku emphasized that voters are aware of the true nature of the 2023 election outcome, asserting, “The citizens who cast their votes in the 2023 presidential election are well aware that I did not lose; rather, we find ourselves in this predicament because the election was criminally stolen from the Nigerian people.”
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