Your reign of deception is nearing its end' – Atiku slams Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sent a stern message to President Bola Tinubu, stating that his time in office is coming to an end, and that Nigerians are poised to reclaim their country through the power of the ballot, marking the end of an era of political complacency, propaganda, and governance by deception.

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Atiku declared that the era of excuses is ending, and the era of accountability is approaching, while also noting that the era of propaganda is fading, and with the support of Nigerians, a new chapter of competence, prosperity, security, and genuine hope shall begin.

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He emphasized that the people are awake, watching, and will deliver their verdict through the ballot when the time comes, warning that the era of taking Nigerians for granted is coming to a close, and the era of complacency is over.

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On Friday, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku fired directly at the president as his administration marks its third anniversary in office, stating that the most fitting report card of the Tinubu years is the tears of hungry families, the despair of unemployed youths, and the collapse of businesses.

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Atiku noted that while every government is entitled to its own opinions, no government is entitled to its own facts, and that three years ago, President Tinubu promised renewed hope, but instead, Nigerians have received renewed hardship, renewed insecurity, renewed poverty, and renewed hopelessness.

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He pointed out that food prices have skyrocketed, inflation has become a cruel tax on the poor, small and medium-scale businesses are shutting their doors, the naira has been battered, and purchasing power has collapsed, highlighting the dire economic situation in the country.

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Atiku also condemned the reckless borrowing without accountability, citing public reports indicating that while the Federal Government borrowed approximately N11.9 trillion within a nine-month period, only N3.1 trillion was reportedly spent on capital projects, prompting the question: where did the rest of the money go?

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He raised concerns about the concentration of infrastructure contracts, noting that a substantial portion of publicly highlighted spending appears directed at the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Badagry-Sokoto Highway, both reportedly awarded to a company owned by a businessman whom President Tinubu publicly described as his “partner in daring”.

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This administration, according to Atiku, has created the disturbing perception that while ordinary Nigerians are being asked to endure sacrifice, the benefits of government spending are increasingly flowing towards a privileged circle of politically connected interests.

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The former vice president described the resurgence of mass abductions as the most damning indictment of Tinubu’s three years in power, citing the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Borno State and the mass kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

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Atiku stated that the tragedy of Borno and Oyo is not merely a security failure, but the inevitable consequence of a government that has become detached from reality and addicted to propaganda, dismissing government claims of economic and security progress as carefully curated narratives.

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Warning those in power not to mistake the patience of Nigerians for permanent acceptance, Atiku said there is a clear difference between endurance and approval, emphasizing that the people will not be silenced forever.

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The former Vice President pledged that the ADC would in the coming weeks release a comprehensive policy blueprint covering economic recovery, job creation, security sector reform, fiscal discipline, healthcare expansion, and the restoration of public confidence in government institutions.