In a scathing statement, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his claims that Tinubu “stole his presidency” in the 2023 election.
Onanuga on Sunday, described Atiku’s remarks as a reflection of his “grand illusions” and “sense of entitlement,” highlighting his detachment from Nigerian voters.
Onanuga pointed out that since his election loss, Atiku has focused on undermining President Tinubu rather than addressing internal issues within his own party.
He believes Atiku harbours envy for the presidency, an ambition he has pursued unsuccessfully six times.
Atiku’s assertion that his policies would be superior to Tinubu’s was labelled misguided by Onanuga, who argued that rebranding untested proposals won’t solve socio-economic challenges inherited from his party’s 16-year rule.
Atiku’s criticism of Tinubu’s administration has been frequent since his election loss, with suggestions of alternative approaches to economic challenges.
However, Onanuga questioned the feasibility of Atiku’s proposed “consultation period” for economic decisions, emphasizing the need for immediate action, which he credited Tinubu for taking.
Onanuga also dismissed Atiku’s calls for phased subsidy removal and refinery privatization as outdated and misaligned with Nigeria’s current needs. Instead, he highlighted Tinubu’s subsidy removal to fund infrastructure and social programs as a direct and impactful reform.
In statement titled “Time for Atiku Abubakar to End His Grand Illusions and Fantasies,” Onanuga urged Atiku to abandon “politics of distraction” and make constructive contributions to national discourse.
The statement read in part, “Atiku’s idea of a consultation period upon entering office shows a troubling lack of awareness regarding the state of the economy, which was in dire need of urgent action.
“The Tinubu administration came prepared with a firm action plan to address the shortcomings that persisted during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s time when Atiku was vice president.
“We can only speculate what detrimental impact Atiku’s proposed lengthy town hall and Village Square meetings would have had on Nigeria’s economy if he had been elected president and taken such an approach.
“The country needed a proactive leader such as Tinubu, who immediately set to work on addressing economic challenges rather than one who would have squandered precious time on consultations and a questionable privatisation agenda.
“Atiku’s critiques of Tinubu’s presidency are mere harebrained propositions devoid of realistic alternatives. He must reckon with the decades of mismanaged economy inherited by the current administration, including exorbitant subsidy expenditures far exceeding government earnings from crude oil.
“As of mid-2023, the landing cost of fuel was between N500 and N600, while it was sold nationwide at an average of N200. The 2023 budget allocated N3.36 trillion for fuel subsidies until June 2023 against a projected N2.23 trillion in oil revenue for the year. The Nigerian state was on life support.
“The estimated N5.4 trillion savings from subsidy removal in 2024 are being actively directed toward infrastructure development and social intervention programmes, initiatives that will benefit all tiers of government and enhance Nigerians’ quality of life.”
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