Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic management, citing widespread hardship and poverty.
According to him, El-Rufai on Tinubu’s economic policies revealed that 30 million Nigerians have fallen into poverty nationwide.
Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, El-Rufai accused the president of adopting policies that worsened Nigeria’s economy.
He specifically pointed to rising exchange rates and failing agricultural policies as key drivers of poverty and food insecurity.
El-Rufai argued that agriculture has been “destroyed” under Tinubu because of reliance on food importation policies.
Moreover, he stated that attempts to make food cheaper through imports have crippled local farmers and food production.
“The one that is here now, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that we all supported to be president, has been given the opportunity. What are the results?” El-Rufai asked.
Consequently, he described the policies as “evil,” stressing that he recognises destructive economic decisions when he sees them.
In addition, El-Rufai on Tinubu’s economic policies highlighted the naira’s steep fall against the dollar since Tinubu assumed office.
He said the exchange rate had jumped from N400 to N1,600 per dollar, worsening inflation and poverty across Nigeria.
The official rate last Friday stood at N1,531.57, according to figures from the Nigerian foreign exchange market.
Meanwhile, the cost of food, fuel, and other essentials continues to rise, creating severe pressure on household incomes.
El-Rufai’s remarks further intensified concerns about Nigeria’s deepening poverty crisis under Tinubu’s administration.
In 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that 133 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty.
However, the agency has yet to release updated poverty data since Tinubu’s administration began implementing new economic policies.
Therefore, critics argue that the true impact may be worse, considering inflation, high food prices, and exchange rate instability.
