Atiku Knocks Tinubu's GDP Claims, Cites IMF Data Estimating 63% of Nigerians Live in Poverty
- Atiku Abubakar slammed the Presidency's repeated comments on GDP growth, saying it reflects a disconnect from ordinary Nigerians' lives
- The former vice president cited IMF data estimating that 63% of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line
- Atiku pointed to the federal government's own plans to begin measuring poverty as proof that GDP figures alone do not tell the full story
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Abuja, FCT - Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) 2027 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has rejected the federal government's framing of Nigeria's economic performance, arguing that GDP growth means nothing to citizens who cannot afford food, transport, or school fees.
Atiku made the remarks in response to the Presidency's repeated promotion of macroeconomic gains following the government's exchange-rate adjustment, describing the celebration as dangerously out of touch with conditions on the ground.
Source: Twitter
The former vice president asked:
"The Presidency proudly announced that Nigeria's GDP has increased significantly since the exchange-rate adjustment. We ask a simple question: Has the purchasing power of the average Nigerian increased? Can civil servants buy more food today than they could three years ago? Are transport fares lower? Are manufacturers paying less for energy? Have small businesses become more profitable?"
He further responded:
"The answer, tragically, is no."
IMF figures contradict government's claims
Atiku, in a statement signed by his media aide Phrank Shaibu, noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF), whose reports the Presidency has used to justify its reform agenda, had itself cautioned that life remains hard for most Nigerians. He cited IMF estimates showing that 63 per cent of Nigerians now live below the national poverty line, and that around 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in late 2025.
He noted:
"Those are not opposition figures. They are the findings of the same institution the government celebrates whenever it commends aspects of its reforms."
The former presidential candidate argued that economic policy should be judged by tangible improvements in citizens' living standards, not by data points that fail to reflect household realities.
Government's own plans undermine its case, Atiku says
Atiku also drew attention to the federal government's recent announcement that it intends to begin measuring poverty, household income and inequality to demonstrate that its reforms are benefiting ordinary people. He said the move amounts to a concession that GDP figures on their own are insufficient.
"That announcement is itself an admission that macroeconomic stability alone is not enough. If GDP figures alone told the whole story, there would be no need for a new 'shared prosperity' scorecard. Even the government now recognises that the true test of economic policy is whether citizens are actually living better," the statement read.
Recall that Atiku had been at the forefront of the call for the sacking of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election since he was defeated in the 2023 presidential election. Atiku contested against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party but lost to the ruling party.
To actualise his presidential ambition, the former vice president dumped the PDP and led a coalition that subsequently adopted the ADC and then emerged as the party's 2027 presidential candidate.
Source: Twitter
Atiku's camp rejects Tinubu's defence of INEC
Legit.ng earlier reported that ADC chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo criticised President Bola Tinubu for defending INEC over bias allegations, saying the electoral body had not earned public confidence.
Okonkwo, who speaks for Atiku Abubakar ahead of 2027, cited concerns over security and governance as reasons Tinubu may struggle to win re-election.
The ADC spokesperson also accused the ruling APC of attempting to weaken opposition parties and undermine Nigeria's democratic process before 2027.
Source: Legit.ng
