Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s assertion that “prosperity is on the horizon” and that Nigerians are experiencing improved quality of life, saying the statement does not reflect the reality faced by millions of citizens.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the President’s remarks showed a disconnect between the government and the everyday experiences of Nigerians.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president asked whether the President was referring to another country or the Nigeria where citizens are struggling with economic hardship, insecurity and rising living costs.
“Mr. President says prosperity is on the horizon. Nigerians are asking: whose horizon? Certainly not that of the market woman whose capital has been wiped out by inflation. Not that of the civil servant whose salary now expires before the month begins,” Atiku said.
He also listed manufacturers battling high energy costs, unemployed graduates without clear prospects, communities affected by insecurity and families struggling with rising food prices among those yet to feel the impact of government policies.
Atiku acknowledged that President Tinubu inherited existing challenges but argued that elected leaders are expected to provide solutions rather than continue to reference past difficulties.
“Every administration inherits problems. Great leaders are remembered for solving them, not for endlessly rehearsing them,” he said.
The former vice president said that after more than three years in office, the administration could no longer rely on blaming previous governments for the country’s challenges.
“The Nigerian people are not interested in who created the problem. They want to know who will solve it,” he stated.
Atiku criticised the government’s economic policies, accusing the administration of worsening hardship through what he described as a lack of transparency, fiscal challenges and policies that had increased pressure on citizens.
He also rejected suggestions that Nigeria’s population was a major obstacle to economic growth, citing China’s development experience as an example of how a large population could become an economic advantage through investment in manufacturing, infrastructure, education and technology.
“China did not become an economic superpower by complaining about the size of its population. It became prosperous because visionary leadership transformed that population into its greatest economic asset,” he said.
Atiku said an ADC-led administration would focus on manufacturing, infrastructure, education, agriculture, skills development and export-driven industries to harness Nigeria’s youthful population.
He further criticised what he described as insensitive comments about historical poverty, saying Nigerians elected the current government to address present-day challenges.
“Nobody ‘elected’ Tinubu to eliminate the hunger of 1940. Nigerians ‘elected’ him to confront the hunger of today,” he said.
Atiku added that hope must come through practical improvements in citizens’ lives rather than official statements.
“Hope cannot be preached to a hungry stomach. It cannot substitute for affordable food, stable electricity, productive jobs, quality education, accessible healthcare, or security for families to sleep with both eyes closed,” he stated.
He urged President Tinubu to engage more directly with the experiences of ordinary Nigerians, arguing that the realities faced by many households were different from the picture presented by government officials.
