Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a sharp critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of hypocrisy, distorting historical facts, and exhibiting political desperation.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described Tinubu’s recent remarks as a “reckless tirade” that reveals “a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia.”
The former vice president expressed surprise that a sitting president facing persistent public scrutiny over his own credentials would attempt to discredit others with documented records of public service.
Atiku’s camp specifically pushed back against Tinubu’s criticism of privatisation policies, arguing that the president’s position lacks consistency.
The statement noted that Atiku had long championed the privatisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now NNPCL) and the sale of refineries to credible investors—policies it claimed Tinubu had previously opposed.
However, the statement alleged that the current administration is now overseeing a form of commercialisation of the national oil company carried out “in opacity, without clear valuation, without transparency, and with lingering questions about who truly benefits.”
“This is not reform; it is privatisation without accountability,” the statement added.
Defending Atiku’s tenure, the statement cited several companies as successful outcomes of the privatisation programme he supervised, including Oando Plc, Conoil Plc, Ardova Plc, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Benue Cement Company, and Transcorp Hilton Abuja. These, it said, remain “enduring testaments” to policies that revitalised struggling state enterprises.
The statement also took a direct swipe at Tinubu’s intellectual standing, claiming his comments reflected a failure to engage with documented history on Nigeria’s economic reforms.
“It is not our fault that the President does not and cannot read,” the statement said, in an apparent reference to lingering controversies surrounding Tinubu’s academic background, including his association with Chicago State University.
It further cited former Minister Nasir El-Rufai’s book, The Accidental Public Servant, as a documented account of Nigeria’s privatisation process.
“You cannot oppose reform when it demands courage and then execute a shadow version of it in power,” the statement added.
Beyond policy disagreements, Atiku’s camp criticised the tone of Tinubu’s remarks, accusing the president of resorting to mockery instead of engaging with facts.
“The President’s attempt to reduce a serious economic legacy to playground ridicule only underscores a deeper problem: a leadership more comfortable with insults than with facts,” it said.
The statement also painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s economic situation, alleging that citizens are grappling with worsening hardship under the current administration—citing rising inflation, declining purchasing power, and insecurity.
“What has been marketed as reform has translated into hardship without relief,” the statement said.
The former vice president maintained that his record in office remains “clear, documented, and defensible,” while noting that “persistent public concerns” about Tinubu’s identity, age, and academic history remain unresolved.
“A leader who has not fully resolved questions about his own background should exercise restraint before casting aspersions on others,” the statement added, concluding with a warning: “Nigerians are watching.”
Tinubu’s Earlier Remarks
President Tinubu had on Thursday dismissed opposition figures as “noise-makers” who, according to him, lack respect for the rule of law. He made the remarks during a meeting with leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House in Abuja, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Tinubu specifically referenced Atiku’s tenure as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, questioning the outcomes of some privatisation exercises.
“The head was the Chairman of the Privatisation Council of Nigeria at one time. He privatised the steel industry in Delta, is it working today? No,” he said. “They privatised Ajaokuta. Is it working today? Go on the list. They privatised another man’s political party. That one said no.”
