•Tinubu and Atiku
The presidency has insisted that Nigeria is moving in the right direction under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, dismissing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s claim that the country is being ravaged by hunger.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, said that the current administration is proud of the progress made so far.
He insisted that many of the challenges they are working to resolve were created during the years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), when Atiku served as Vice President, reports Channels TV.
Recall that Atiku, yesterday, lamented that more than two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, there is still no indication that he can effectively address the widespread hunger and poverty in the country.
The African Democratic Party (ADC) chieftain described the level of hunger in the country as unacceptable, particularly among the underprivileged and downtrodden.
“Whatever reform the Tinubu government might claim to be undertaking, the point remains that food insecurity is a daily occurrence nationwide.
“There is no government worth its salt that does not place priority on the welfare and security of the people,” Atiku said.
In a swift response, Bayo Onanuga dismissed Atiku’s remarks, stating that “talk is cheap” and accusing the former vice president and his handlers of being out of touch with the positive developments currently taking place in the country.
He described Atiku’s claim that hunger is ravaging Nigeria, along with comparisons to the unrest in France before the 1789 Revolution and the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, as grossly misleading.
Onanuga’s statement read, “Talk is cheap. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his handlers are clearly out of touch with the positive developments currently unfolding in our country.
“Their claim that hunger is ravaging Nigeria, and their comparison of our situation to the unrest in France before the 1789 Revolution or the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, is grossly misleading.
“Their latest statement demonstrates a disconnect from the authentic Nigerian reality, as recent data tells a different story. Just today, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released its figures for August, showing that headline inflation has declined for the fifth consecutive month. Over the weekend, the NBS also reported a record trade surplus, with the contribution of non-oil exports to our trade balance now nearly matching that of crude oil at a ratio of 48:52 per cent.
“Our foreign exchange reserves are on the rise, now approaching $42 billion. When President Tinubu assumed office, reserves stood at $32 billion, much of it encumbered. This administration has since cleared over $7 billion in arrears, including $800 million owed to airlines.
“Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is recording unprecedented revenues. States are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly and still have surplus funds for capital and social projects—an achievement not previously witnessed at this scale.
“Nigeria is moving in the right direction. In contrast, Atiku and his party remain stuck in the past, fixated on doomsday scenarios and revolutionary rhetoric. Ironically, many of the challenges we face today stem from the economic mismanagement during the PDP years, when Atiku was Vice President. President Tinubu and his team are working relentlessly to correct those errors, with bold reforms.
“After just two years and five months in office, we are proud of the progress being made under President Tinubu’s leadership. Atiku and his allies may choose to ignore these gains, but Nigerians can see and feel the positive changes taking place across the nation.”
