In a fiery Independence Day showdown, opposition heavyweights Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi on Wednesday punctured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration that Nigeria’s hard times are over, insisting that Nigerians are hungrier, poorer, and more insecure than ever.
President Tinubu, in his October 1st national broadcast, had painted a picture of an economy turning the corner — citing falling inflation and early signs of growth.
The opposition says that picture exists only on paper.
Atiku: A Bag of Numbers Can’t Buy Garri
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar delivered a blistering economic counter-punch.
According to him, the President’s statistics betray the reality in every market and bus stop. He argued that the much-touted N70,000 new minimum wage is weaker than the old N30,000.
His analysis: In April 2023, N30,000 could buy about 118 litres of petrol. Today, N70,000 buys just 50 litres. Purchasing power, he said, has collapsed.
“A President may announce a new chapter in a speech. He cannot announce food onto a family’s table,” Atiku fired.
ALSO READ: Tinubu returns, says I’m strong, ready to kick
Beyond criticism, Atiku rolled out demands: a capped subsidy for locally refined petrol to ease pump price, a full disclosure of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract cost, an audit of conditional cash transfers, and clarity on Nigeria’s soaring N166.79 trillion public debt. He also dismissed the student loan scheme as a token that does not solve the cost-of-living crisis.
Obi: Nigeria Needs Reset, Not Rhetoric
For Labour Party’s Peter Obi, the issue is deeper than inflation charts — it is a national reset.
Obi, who said he recently visited an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Sokoto, described a nation rich in resources but poor in results, plagued by poverty, joblessness, and mass displacement.
He argued that true Independence is not celebrated with speeches but measured by how many children are in school, how many families can afford food, and how safe the streets are.
“My message today is not one of despair. It is a message of hope, determination and responsibility,” Obi said.
In a symbolic jab at the Presidency’s frequent foreign trips, Obi pledged that if elected, he would spend all his holidays inside Nigeria — touring its 36 states instead of foreign capitals.
The Presidency is yet to respond to the twin attacks as Nigerians mark 66 years of nationhood amid high hopes and high prices.
