The Presidency has issued a strong response to a statement by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, dismissing his claims as out of touch with current positive developments in Nigeria.
In a social media post on Monday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described Atiku and his team as being disconnected from the authentic Nigerian reality.
“Talk is cheap. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his handlers are clearly out of touch with the positive developments currently unfolding in our country,” the statement read.
It particularly criticised Atiku’s comparison of Nigeria’s situation to the unrest in France before the 1789 Revolution or the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, calling the analogy “grossly misleading.”
Instead, the Presidency pointed to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which showed that headline inflation has declined for the fifth consecutive month as of August. It also highlighted a record trade surplus report released over the weekend, noting that the contribution of non-oil exports to Nigeria’s trade balance now nearly matches that of crude oil at a ratio of 48:52 per cent.
Onanuga further revealed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves are now approaching $42 billion, a significant increase from the $32 billion available when President Tinubu assumed office. It noted that much of the previous reserves were encumbered, and that this administration has cleared over $7 billion in arrears, including $800 million owed to airlines.
“Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is recording unprecedented revenues. States are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly and still have surplus funds for capital and social projects—an achievement not previously witnessed at this scale,” the statement added.
The Presidency asserted that Nigeria is moving in the right direction, while accusing Atiku and his party of remaining “stuck in the past, fixated on doomsday scenarios and revolutionary rhetoric.”
It also reminded the public that many of Nigeria’s current challenges stem from economic mismanagement during the PDP years when Atiku was Vice President, noting that “President Tinubu and his team are working relentlessly to correct those errors, with bold reforms.”
The statement concluded by affirming pride in the progress made under President Tinubu’s leadership after just two years and five months in office, adding that while Atiku and his allies may choose to ignore these gains, Nigerians can see and feel the positive changes taking place across the nation.
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