Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, pointing failures in the economy, insecurity, and governance.
Atiku, in his New Year message released on Thursday, accused Tinubu of incompetence, lawlessness, and political intimidation.
He described 2025 as one of the most “punishing” years in Nigeria’s recent history, blaming the situation on what he termed economic mismanagement and governance without empathy under the All Progressives Congress-led federal government.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate further said the country experienced “economic suffocation, political recklessness and policy bankruptcy” in the past year, claiming the Tinubu administration operated for months without a functional budget, relying instead on propaganda and excessive borrowing.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain pointed the controversy over a disputed tax law as evidence of what he called the decay of the current government, stating, “A government that begins reform with forgery cannot end with prosperity.”
Atiku also accused the ruling party of deliberately undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions, alleging attempts to turn the country into a de facto one-party state through intimidation and state capture.
He, as well, highlighted worsening insecurity in 2025, with kidnappings, abductions, and violent crimes spreading nationwide, while unemployment, labour unrest, and the collapse of small businesses compounded citizens’ hardships.
“Despite these failures, compounded by the appointment of undistinguished and unfit individuals to represent Nigeria abroad, the country survived, not because of government competence, but because of the resilience of its people,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast despite the challenges, calling the message “one of the most painful New Year messages I have ever written, fully aware of the despair confronting millions due to the callous and soulless policies of the Tinubu-led APC government.”
The ex-VP described demands for citizens to make sacrifices as “cruel,” arguing that leaders living in comfort while the masses suffer lack moral authority.
“Leadership without shared pain is not leadership; it is exploitation,” he said.
Atiku equally criticised what he described as selective anti-corruption enforcement, claiming the government weaponises institutions against political opponents.
“The so-called anti-corruption crusade of this government is a facade; selective, vindictive, and politically motivated. It has become a tool for persecuting opposition figures rather than cleansing the system.”
“Fighting corruption is essential, but when agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are weaponised against opponents while allies enjoy immunity, justice is mocked. Institutions must act without fear or favour,” he said.
Atiku warned that a government capable of tampering with laws could not be trusted to conduct free and fair elections in 2027.
“I therefore call on all patriotic Nigerians to engage, mobilise, persuade, and organise. Prepare to vote and to defend your votes in 2027.
“Let us vote out hunger, insecurity, unemployment, dishonesty, corruption, abductions, lies, and propaganda. Nigeria deserves better.
“Nigerians deserve dignity. 2026 is the year to till the soil. 2027 is the year of harvest. It is too late to turn back. Let us rise, organise, and reclaim our country,” he stated.
