By Uzair Adam
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has responded sharply to former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s recent criticism of his economic reform agenda.
The Daily Reality reports that the response was conveyed in a statement issued Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga noted that Atiku’s proposals, which he described as lacking in detail, were already rejected by Nigerians in the 2023 election.
“If he had won the election, we believe he would have plunged Nigeria into a worse situation or run a regime of cronyism,” Onanuga stated.
The statement began, “We have just read a statement credited to former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in which he tried to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s economic reform programmes while pushing his untested agenda as a better alternative.”
It added that Atiku’s defeat in the election was partly due to his commitment to privatizing the NNPC and other national assets, a move perceived as favoring close allies.
“Nigerians have not forgotten this, nor would they be comforted by Atiku’s track record when he managed the economy during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term from 1999 to 2003.
“As Vice President, Atiku supervised a questionable privatization program. He and his boss displayed a lack of confidence in our educational system, establishing their own universities while public institutions struggled.”
Onanuga criticized Atiku’s statement as “cheap talk,” suggesting it is easy to criticize without acknowledging the positive outcomes already emerging from Tinubu’s reforms, even amidst temporary challenges.
“Despite his futile attempt to sway Nigerians, it is clear that the former Vice President could not refute the soundness of the reforms pursued by the Tinubu administration.”
He added that Atiku’s call for a gradualist approach reveals a misunderstanding of the severe challenges faced by the Tinubu administration.
“President Tinubu met a country facing several grave challenges. Fuel subsidies were siphoning away enormous resources we could ill afford, and there was criminal manipulation in the forex market. No responsible leader would allow these economic disorders to persist.”
While advocating for gradual reforms may sound appealing, Onanuga asserted that Tinubu has taken decisive actions that should have been implemented years ago, during the administration when Atiku served as Vice President.
In response to Atiku’s call for empathy in governance, Onanuga highlighted that this aligns with Tinubu’s commitment to protecting the most vulnerable.
“President Tinubu has consistently emphasized the need for compassion in his reforms, prioritizing social safety nets and targeted support for those affected by economic transitions,” he added.