- Tinubu’s Promise To Revive Economy Unfulfilled– Atiku
- You’re Willfully Blinded To Tinubu’s Achievements- APC Fires Atiku
- Buhari Appeals To Nigerians To Give Tinubu More Time
As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu celebrates his one year in office, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the All-Progressives Congress (APC), the president’s party have disagreed over the president’s achievement.
Atiku faulted President Tinubu for failing to fulfill his promise to grow the nation’s economy as well as end the misery of Nigerians while the Presidency has accused the former VP of being willfully blind to Tinubu’s achievement.
Upon coming on board last May, Tinubu unleashed a raft of reforms aimed at revitalising the economy and investment, but the initiatives have caused a short-term surge in living costs.
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One year later, Atiku says the nation’s economy has worsened under President Bola Tinubu.
“Predictably, 12 months on, Tinubu’s pledge of growing the economy and ending misery remains unfulfilled,” Atiku said while appraising Tinubu’s performance in office.
“His actions or inactions have significantly worsened Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability. Nigeria remains a struggling economy and is more fragile today than it was a year ago. Indeed, all the economic ills – joblessness, poverty, and misery – which defined the Buhari-led administration have only exacerbated.
“Africa’s leading economy has slipped to the 4th position lagging behind Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa. Citizens’ hopes have been dashed (and not renewed contrary to the propaganda of the administration) as Nigeria’s economic woes have multiplied.”
Firing back at Atiku, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the former vice-president’s comment belittling Tinubu’s policies shows “primordial political envy and crass desperation for power”.
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APC’s publicity Secretary, Felix Morka said Atiku “willfully plays blind to the pace of progress” of the country under Tinubu’s administration.
The APC spokesperson said Tinubu’s administration has “attracted over $20 billion into the economy” in the last one year.
“Atiku’s self-serving efforts to minimise the bold, genuine and metamorphic policies and interventions of the present administration only smack of primordial political envy and crass desperation for the power that Nigerians have so wisely denied him,” the statement reads.
“The former Vice President lives in an alternate reality of prejudice and unpatriotic desire for Nigeria’s failure so he may scavenge his way to an even more elusive presidency.
“Quite contrary to Atiku’s claim, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has, in its first year in office, attracted over $20 billion into the economy while the stock exchange has ballooned from N18.12 billion in Q1 of 2023 to N93.37 billion in Q1 of 2024, representing an increase of over 400 percent with an annual economic growth rate leaping from 2.5 percent to 3.46 percent.
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“Key sectors of manufacturing, telecommunications, oil and gas, solid minerals, e-commerce, and fintech have continued to attract increased and ceaseless flow of foreign direct investments (FDIs). Yet, Atiku remains willfully blind to the pace of progress that is so self-evident.
“President Tinubu set an audacious target of building a $1 trillion economy in the next few years and has put together a bevy of experts and professionals, and introduced far-reaching policies and programmes to drive the actualization of this desirable economic target.
“The President needs the support and encouragement of Nigerians, not the bile-filled pessimism of partisan Atikus.
“Atiku’s false alarm of an imminent food scarcity boldface ignores the widely acknowledged proactive measures already introduced by President Tinubu to guarantee food security in the country.
“In December 2023, the federal government set a target for the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land across the federation.
“Cultivation of rice, maize, wheat and cassava on over 246,231 hectares of land in 30 states of the federation is in progress in addition to approving massive grants and other incentives to farmers.”
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Meanwhile, former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Bola Tinubu, his successor, on marking one year in office.
In a statement issued by Garba Shehu, his spokesperson, Buhari extended his best wishes to Tinubu.
The former president appealed to Nigerians to “continue to strengthen the thread of national unity and goodwill”.
Buhari also urged citizens to “give their blessings and support” to Tinubu’s administration so that “it can succeed in its efforts to build the Nigeria of our dreams”.
“President Buhari expressed his wishes for a successful tenure in office by the Tinubu administration,” the statement reads.
As part of the activities marking his one year in office, Tinubu will inaugurate some projects complemented by Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
