Atiku Challenges Tinubu to Account for Hunger, Poverty Ahead of 2027 Election
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for Nigeria’s economic hardship after the President blamed opposition politicians for hunger and poverty at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Kaduna.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, said the government should address questions about the rising cost of living and the effects of its economic policies instead of shifting responsibility to political opponents.
He made the position known in a statement issued on Saturday, October 24, through Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.
“Mr President, blaming the opposition for hunger is either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia,” Atiku said, arguing that the APC had governed Nigeria for eight years before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The former Vice-President’s response followed Tinubu’s remarks at the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, where the President accused opposition politicians of creating hunger and poverty and said his administration was working to eradicate the problems.
Atiku argued that Nigerians were more concerned about the government’s record than attempts to blame political opponents for the hardship they were experiencing.
Atiku questions economic policies
The ADC candidate challenged Tinubu to explain the effects of petrol subsidy removal, the depreciation of the naira and rising poverty.
He also questioned government spending, including expenditure recorded under energy security and reported spending associated with Nigerian National Petroleum Company pipeline operations.
Atiku called for explanations of the amounts involved, the recipients of the funds and the results achieved through the expenditure.
The financial figures and allegations he cited have not been independently established in this report and should be treated as claims requiring further documentary verification.
World Bank assessment highlights poverty concerns
The exchange comes amid continuing concerns about poverty and living costs in Nigeria.
The World Bank’s October 2026 Nigeria Poverty and Equity Brief estimated that the proportion of Nigerians living below the national poverty line increased from 40.1 per cent in 2019 to 56.2 per cent in 2023, reaching an estimated 63 per cent in 2026.
The assessment provides support for the poverty figure cited by Atiku, although it does not establish his attribution of responsibility for the trend.
The World Bank has also identified weak job creation, rising living costs and insufficient growth in productive employment as continuing challenges for the country.
Security also features in Atiku’s criticism
Atiku also criticised the Tinubu administration over persistent killings, kidnappings and displacement in parts of the country, demanding greater accountability for the government’s response to insecurity.
He further questioned the President’s decision to inaugurate a section of the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway during the campaign event, arguing that a ceremony alone could not establish that a road project had been completed.
The Federal Government’s position on the status of the road project was not independently established in the sources examined for this report.
Atiku said the 2027 presidential election would provide an opportunity for Nigerians to assess Tinubu’s performance based on their experiences and living conditions.
The President has defended his economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that his administration’s policies are intended to improve the economy and deliver prosperity.
The competing positions are expected to remain part of the political debate as the parties seek support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
