Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for Nigeria’s economic crisis, citing its haphazard approach to fuel subsidy management.
Atiku criticized Tinubu’s silence on the issue, expressing concern that the escalating inflation rate is severely impacting Nigerians’ well-being.
In a recent post on X, Atiku stated, “The haphazard and disingenuous approach of the current administration to fuel subsidy management has been the reason we are in this current economic crisis in the country. As things stand, there will be no let up in the escalating inflation rate, which is drowning the material well-being of Nigerians. It is even more worrying that T-pain is undisturbed by the hardship in the country.”
The latest fuel price hike by the National Petroleum Company Limited has worsened the situation, with prices rising from N897 to N1,030 per liter in Abuja and from N855 to N998 in Lagos. This increase is part of a larger trend, as the removal of fuel subsidy has pushed transport costs up by over 300 percent, with petrol prices averaging N660 per liter, up from N195 before May 29, 2023.
Atiku’s concerns about Tinubu’s handling of the economy are shared by many Nigerians, who are struggling to cope with the rising costs of living. The inflation rate has risen to 28.20 percent, and experts predict it will reach 30 percent by the end of the quarter.
