Naira devaluation, fuel subsidy removal plunge Nigerians into hunger — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying they have deepened hunger and hardship across the country.

In a statement posted on his social media platform, Atiku said President Tinubu’s abrupt removal of fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration “triggered an economic avalanche that has since buried the average Nigerian under the weight of inflation, hunger, and despair.”

He accused the administration of poor economic judgment, describing the removal as “hasty and thoughtless,” with devastating consequences for ordinary Nigerians now grappling with soaring food prices, rising transport costs, and job losses worsened by the naira’s devaluation.

According to Atiku, the Federal Government’s attempts to mitigate the crisis — including a temporary wage award for federal workers — have largely failed. He noted that while the government promised to pay ₦35,000 monthly for 10 months, only six months have been paid so far.

“As of today, the Federal Government owes four months of wage awards, totaling ₦140,000 per worker,” Atiku stated, calling the delay a sign of the administration’s “callous indifference” and “utter disdain for workers’ welfare.”

He also condemned what he called the government’s increasing suppression of dissent, citing the arrest and continued detention of Comrade Andrew Uche Emelieze, a labour activist apprehended for attempting to organise a peaceful protest over the unpaid wage awards.

“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Emelieze,” Atiku said. “His continued detention is an affront to democracy, a slap in the face of every Nigerian worker, and a chilling reminder of the authoritarian drift of the Tinubu administration.”

Atiku warned that the voice of the Nigerian worker cannot be silenced amid worsening economic hardship. “The hunger is real. The government has a duty to act — not to repress,” he concluded.