Presidency: Nigerians enjoying lowest cost of living in Africa | Atiku’s comment not factual

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, has criticised Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, over his remarks on the handling of the country’s economy by President Bola Tinubu.

Onanuga said Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, is “offering pedestrian and uninformed interventions” on the state of the economy.

In a post published on X on Sunday, Abubakar had said Tinubu’s “poor response” to the country’s economic challenges is “setting the stage for a prolonged and deeper domestic economic crisis”.

“His economic policies, drawn from a so-called renewed hope agenda, are ironically dashing hopes, creating pain and causing despair,” Atiku had said.

“The intense cost of living pressures has created more misery for the poor in towns and villages.  There is HUNGER IN THE LAND as basic commodities, including BREAD, are becoming out of reach for average Nigerians.”

In a statement, Onanuga claimed that Nigerians are still enjoying the lowest cost of living in Africa and that Abubakar’s comments were not based on facts.

TheCable cannot immediately verify the claim of the presidential spokesperson.

The presidential aide said all major presidential candidates, including Abubakar, agreed to remove petrol subsidy and address the multiple foreign exchange rates.

Onanuga said Nigerians are observing the “hypocrisy” of Abubakar, who he said did not offer “any better policy options” in the buildup to the 2023 election.

“Atiku’s claims that the private sector is shrinking and that multinational companies are leaving our country in ‘droves’ are not grounded on facts,” Onanuga said.

“His claim that the government’s policies have created intense cost of living pressures are also not grounded on facts as recent comparative cost of living indices show that Nigerians still enjoy the lowest cost of living in Africa.

“Instead of mouthing platitudes every time in a bid to earn cheap political mileage, Alhaji Atiku who presumes himself as the leader of opposition, should tell Nigerians what he would have done better if he had been elected President.

“Atiku should be honest enough to admit that President Tinubu inherited a weak economy, which to all intents and purposes and to ensure the survival of our country, needs a complete overhaul.

“The economy was plagued by decades of significant fiscal deficits, a low revenue base, high external and domestic debts, and huge debt service burden.”