The Nigerian presidency has dismissed recent criticisms from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, asserting that it will not engage further with him.
Atiku had accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of incompetence and poor governance, urging the president to focus on leadership rather than attacking political opponents.
In a statement released by Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, he described Tinubu as “incompetent” and “unprepared,” citing the government’s handling of the compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative as evidence of poor planning.
Responding through Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, the Presidency made it clear that its priority is to implement key reforms and bring relief to Nigerians.
“We have a country to run, and we are done with Atiku,” said Dare. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was elected by Nigerians to govern, and our focus is on delivering reforms and providing succour to our people.”
Since taking office on May 29, 2023, President Tinubu has introduced several sweeping economic policies. His inaugural speech included the announcement of the removal of the petrol subsidy, causing petrol prices to rise sharply from about N184 to over N1,000 per litre.
Additionally, the government’s unification of foreign exchange (forex) rates led to a significant depreciation of the naira, with the exchange rate plummeting from around $1/N700 to over $1/N1600 on the parallel market.
These policy shifts have resulted in a spike in inflation, causing the prices of food and essential goods to soar.
Many Nigerians are grappling with the impact of rising costs as the administration focuses on stabilizing the economy and implementing its reform agenda.