A senior aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the central issue confronting Nigerians is the rising cost of living rather than Atiku’s political rivalry with the President.
Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, said this in a statement on Tuesday while reacting to Tinubu’s recent comments on economic policy, accusing the President of attacking Atiku’s proposals without addressing the hardship faced by millions of Nigerians.
He said the administration’s reforms had resulted in high transportation and food costs, reduced purchasing power and increased pressure on families, arguing that cheaper energy should be prioritised to reduce the cost of living.
According to Shaibu, “Atiku has more important people to engage directly: the mother struggling to feed her children; the civil servant whose salary disappears into transportation; the farmer paying more to move produce to market; the student being pushed into debt simply to remain in school.”
He also faulted the petrol pricing regime, comparing Nigeria’s pump price with those of other oil-producing countries, and argued that Nigerians should benefit more directly from the country’s crude oil resources.
Shaibu said Atiku’s proposed economic recovery plan would support domestic refining through a controlled and transparently funded framework, with the aim of reducing fuel and transportation costs and, ultimately, lowering the prices of food and other essential commodities.
The former Vice President’s aide further challenged the Federal Government to account for about N15.8tn it said was mobilised following the removal of fuel subsidy between June 2023 and December 2025. He also demanded clarification on alleged N30tn in Federation Account-related entries and about N34tn worth of import duty exemptions approved in 2025.
He said Nigerians were entitled to ask why promised relief measures were only being announced after years of hardship, alleging that the timing could be linked to the 2027 elections. Shaibu maintained that Atiku would continue to campaign for policies aimed at making food, transportation, education and other necessities more affordable.
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