The previous vice chairman, Atiku Abubakar has condemned the latest remarks by President Bola Tinubu who justified the deepening hardship in Nigeria.
The president had throughout his go to to Bayelsa State drawn comparisons with gasoline costs in different international locations and the hardship being confronted by residents.
Nonetheless, reacting to the president’s remarks, Atiku in an announcement issued by his aide Phrank Shaibu stated such a “narrative isn’t solely deceptive however a grave distortion of the lived actuality of Nigerians.
“It’s each curious and troubling that the President would isolate gasoline costs as a metric of {economic} consolation whereas ignoring the much more essential indicators of buying energy, earnings ranges, and value of dwelling.
“This selective reasoning betrays both a basic misunderstanding of {economic} realities or a deliberate try to deflect from coverage failures.
“Sure, petrol costs in Nigeria might seem decrease than in international locations like Kenya or South Africa. However this comparability collapses immediately when positioned in opposition to the backdrop of {economic} realities. Nigeria at the moment is costlier to dwell in than Kenya, with the common value of dwelling considerably increased, regardless of decrease gasoline costs,” Atiku stated.
He additionally added that the extra alarming side since Tinubu’s assumption of workplace in 2023 is the collapse in incomes energy.
“The implication is evident: affordability isn’t outlined by value alone, however by the connection between earnings and expenditure. On this measure, Nigerians have by no means had it worse.
“It’s, subsequently, deeply disappointing that at a time when residents anticipate empathy, readability, and decisive management, the President has chosen the trail of statistical comfort.
He warned that any authorities that depends on selective comparisons whereas its residents grapple with rising poverty, inflation, and declining dwelling requirements dangers showing not solely out of contact, but in addition detached.
“Nigerians aren’t asking for comparisons—they’re demanding aid. Nigerians deserve honesty. Nigerians deserve higher,” he added.