By Luminous Jannamike
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described President Bola Tinubu as “the Egypt Nigerians are desperate to escape,” accusing him of worsening hardship through fuel subsidy removal.
Atiku said Tinubu’s comparison of subsidy relief to asking Moses to return to Egypt was out of touch with Nigerians struggling to afford food, transport and other necessities.
In a statement on Tuesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku also faulted Tinubu’s handling of insecurity and police welfare, warning that the President had no business seeking another term without addressing the country’s mounting challenges.
“Bola, you are the Egypt Nigerians are desperate to escape. You celebrate the day you made fuel more expensive, then lecture families struggling to pay for food and transport about why they must never go back,” he said.
Atiku proposed targeted support for verified petroleum products refined in Nigeria, with imported fuel excluded and independent auditors monitoring the funds to ensure consumers benefit from lower prices.
“My proposal is clear: give limited, budgeted support only to verified petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians. Imported fuel gets nothing. Independent auditors must track every naira, and the benefit must reach consumers in the price they pay,” he said.
On insecurity, the ADC presidential candidate rejected attempts to shift responsibility to former President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that Tinubu must be held accountable for the killings, abductions and attacks recorded under his administration.
He cited a remark by Tinubu’s campaign Director-General questioning what the President could do about insecurity when Buhari, a retired general, had failed to eliminate it. Atiku countered that former President Umaru Yar’Adua had tackled insecurity despite lacking a military background.
“Nigerians expect their President to confront the killers, rescue the abducted and make it possible to travel, farm, work and sleep without fear,” he said.
Atiku argued that the security failures recorded during Tinubu’s tenure could not be excused by the shortcomings of his predecessor, adding that the President’s inability to explain how he would tackle the crisis weakened his case for re-election.
He also raised concerns about police welfare, citing the case of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police who, he said, told him he received a monthly pension of ₦29,000.
Atiku alleged that serving officers were drawing on their pension savings to feed their families and urged Tinubu to act on the Police Exit Bill and review police salaries, healthcare and retirement benefits.
“Give the people who protect Nigerians the pay, healthcare and retirement security their service has earned,” he said.
Atiku said Nigerians deserved affordable fuel, secure communities and better welfare for security personnel, declaring that he would reverse the hardship he attributed to the Tinubu administration.
“Tinubu made life expensive. I will make life affordable again,” he said
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