Atiku slams Tinubu as new report shows latest poverty level in Nigeria
- Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu, while highlighting rising poverty rates under his administration
- The former vice president's claim was based on a recent World Bank report that revealed an alarming increase in Nigerians living below the poverty line
- Atiku then proposed pragmatic reforms to combat economic shock therapy and restore dignity for Nigeria's citizens
Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria, has dragged President Bola Tinubu over what he described as a confirmation of what Nigerians are going through by the World Bank, which is that "poverty is rising at an alarming rate under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu."
He maintained that the report indicated that "over 60% of Nigerians now living below the poverty line, up from about 40% just a few years ago, this is not reform, it is regression on a monumental scale."
Source: Twitter
Atiku mocks Tinubu over poverty rate
In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Friday, April 10, in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the crisis is neither accidental nor unavoidable.
He said:
"It is the direct outcome of poorly conceived and harshly implemented policies, from the abrupt removal of fuel subsidies to the chaotic devaluation of the naira, all executed without adequate safeguards for the Nigerian people.
"The consequences of these trial-and-error policies are visible everywhere: food prices have spiralled out of control, inflation has wiped out incomes, small businesses are collapsing, and millions more Nigerians are being pushed into extreme poverty.
"While the Tinubu administration points to abstract macroeconomic indicators, Nigerians are living a far harsher reality—one defined by hunger, uncertainty, and a daily struggle for survival. This is not reform. It is economic shock therapy imposed on a vulnerable population.
"Funnily enough, a government that blames others while failing to shield its citizens from the shocks of a global trade war only ends up exposing its own incompetence."
Atiku speaks on World Bank report
The statement said the World Bank has acknowledged the troubling paradox of rising poverty amid so-called reforms, exposing a government dangerously disconnected from the lived realities of its citizens.
He noted:
"A government that presides over a situation where the majority of its people are poor, yet insists that progress is being made, has lost both moral authority and economic direction."
Atiku explains fixing Nigeria's poverty
Meanwhile, the former Vice President has offered a clear and credible alternative, which is one rooted in experience, pragmatism, and compassion. He believes that reform must be carefully sequenced, not recklessly imposed; that social protection must be real, targeted, and transparent, not symbolic; and that economic policy must prioritise job creation, food security, and income growth.
He noted:
"The Waziri Adamawa's approach focuses on rebuilding productivity through support for small businesses, agriculture, and industry, while ensuring coordination in fiscal and monetary policy to stabilise the economy and restore confidence.
"The ADC chieftain's position is straightforward: economic reform must improve lives, not punish them."
He said Nigeria cannot continue on a path where poverty deepens while the government celebrates policy experiments. He added:
"Leadership is not about defending failure—it is about correcting it. The evidence is already clear in the lives of Nigerians.
"The choice before the nation is stark: continue on a trajectory of deepening hardship, or embrace leadership that is committed to restoring dignity, stability, and shared prosperity. Nigeria deserves better.
Source: Twitter
Atiku, Kwankwaso, others lead protest
Legit.ng earlier reported that former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi and several ADC leaders staged a protest in Abuja.
The protesters were opposing INEC’s derecognition of ADC leaders following a court ruling on the party’s internal crisis.
However, the video of the opposition leaders protesting in Abuja generated mixed reactions from Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng
