News
Atiku Criticizes Tinubu’s Policies And Says Rising Costs Are Hurting Nigerians
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, claiming they are placing significant strain on Nigerians.
Atiku’s statement was issued through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
On Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, a spokesperson for Tinubu, accused Atiku of harboring envy following his election loss.
Shaibu responded, dismissing Onanuga’s comments as baseless, emphasizing that Atiku is far from jealous of Tinubu’s policies, which he claims are only worsening life for Nigerians.
In a strong statement, Shaibu said, “Atiku jealous of Tinubu inflicting pain on Nigerians? Hell no.
Wickedness is an exclusive preserve of T-Pain.”
Atiku mentioned the government’s failure to implement its own economic promises.
He cited Tinubu’s July 8, 2024 announcement, where the President pledged a 150-day suspension on import duties for essential items like food.
However, more than 120 days later, Atiku pointed out that the policy has yet to be executed, even as Nigerians grapple with skyrocketing prices.
Food inflation, which now stands at over 40%, is one of the highest seen in decades, worsening living conditions and putting essential goods out of reach for many.
He further criticized Tinubu’s administration for what he described as a “brazen disregard” for its own policies, particularly the finance ministry’s delay in formalizing the import duty waiver through an official gazette.
This delay, Atiku argues, shows the incompetence and disorganization in Tinubu’s government.
He added that rather than focus on much-needed governance, the administration is more interested in verbally attacking political opponents like himself and Peter Obi.
He claimed that the administration is even using questionable court actions to create disarray in the opposition.
Atiku also questioned Tinubu’s preparedness for office, calling his administration a series of “policy flip-flops” that have harmed rather than helped Nigerians.
One of his biggest criticisms was Tinubu’s abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy, which Atiku said was done without planning for any support measures to ease the transition for Nigerians.
He noted that the President’s compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, intended as an alternative, has so far stalled due to inadequate gas infrastructure across most states.
And this is leading to rising transportation costs that further increase food prices.
Atiku also questioned Tinubu’s economic planning in light of his mid-term expenditure framework, which projects an exchange rate of N700 to $1 by 2024 and N650 to $1 by 2025.
Atiku urged Tinubu to dismiss his economic advisers, whom he accused of unrealistic planning and deceiving Nigerians by promoting a foreign exchange reserve of $40 billion, when the net reserve is allegedly much less.
A teenage girl, Lawal Hameedat Adenike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the PEFTI Centre after allegedly being forced to remove her hijab before sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The suit was filed by her mother and legal representative, Basirat Ojo, who spoke to journalists in Abuja about the distressing incident. Ojo explained that on April 25, 2025, at the PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, her daughter was told she could not take the exam unless she removed her hijab, which she wears as a religious obligation. Ojo described the experience as humiliating and emotionally distressing for her daughter, adding that it was a clear violation of her rights.
The lawsuit is seeking a public apology from both JAMB and PEFTI, to be published in two national newspapers. Additionally, it calls for compensation for the rights violation and a court ruling that any policy requiring female candidates to remove their hijabs is unconstitutional.
Lawal’s lawyer, Qousim Opakunle, emphasized that the case is based on constitutional rights. He argued that the directive violated Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, especially for minors who are vulnerable to such injustices.
Many Nigerians are expressing deep concern over the poor performance recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following the release of the results by JAMB on Friday. Social media has since been flooded with reactions from worried parents, students, and education stakeholders, many of whom believe the scores don’t reflect the true efforts of the candidates.
One user, Oluwaseun, took to X to voice his frustration, sharing a screenshot of a student named Egbaze Victoria who allegedly scored 295 in last year’s UTME but shockingly got 132 this year. “Something is seriously wrong with these results,” he wrote. “These scores don’t reflect the abilities or track records of these students.”
Another user, Chukwuma Pius, also shared his frustration, claiming JAMB sent his daughter a result that doesn’t belong to her. “This is heartbreaking,” he said. “As a retired teacher, I know what she’s capable of. The result they sent cannot be hers.”
These complaints come after JAMB disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200 this year, sparking widespread calls for an investigation into the entire process. Reacting to the controversy, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi described the outcome of this year’s UTME as worrisome and emphasized the need for urgent reforms in the education sector.
JAMB has officially released the results for the 2025 UTME, but not without controversy. According to the board, results of 39,834 candidates have been withheld over suspected exam malpractices.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement at the board’s headquarters in Bwari, explaining that investigations are ongoing. He also revealed that around 80 individuals are currently under scrutiny for various exam-related offences, with Anambra State topping the list of those being investigated.
-
Sport9 hours agoWeidenfeller Says Ronaldo Works Harder Than Messi and That’s Why He’s the Best
-
News7 hours agoTeenage Girl Sues JAMB After Being Forced to Remove Her Hijab Before UTME Exam
-
Politics23 hours agoLamine Yamal Calls Bukayo Saka His Favorite Player Outside Barcelona
-
Sport23 hours agoLamine Yamal Names Burna Boy and Rema as His Afrobeats Faves
-
News9 hours agoJAMB 2025: Nigerians Cry Out as Students Get Shockingly Low Jamb Scores
-
News23 hours agoJAMB Withholds Over 39,000 UTME Results Over Exam Malpractice
-
Sport9 hours agoAdemola Lookman Might Miss Atalanta’s Match Against Roma Due to Achilles Injury
-
Entertainment23 hours agoIt’s Not Over Yet! Juma Jux Announces Last Wedding Event with Wife Priscilla