Tinubu’s two-year review stirs fresh political firestorm

 

As President Bola Tinubu marks two years in office today, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, Coalition of United Political Parties and the African Democratic Congress have all condemned the All Progressives Congress-led administration, citing the biting economic hardships.

The criticisms come as Nigerians reflect on Tinubu’s performance in office, while grappling with surging inflation, high costs of living, unemployment, insecurity and mounting national debt.

While the government maintains that its reforms are necessary for long-term recovery, the growing chorus of discontent suggests that many are yet to see the promised dividends.

In response, the APC dismissed the opposition’s criticism as stemming from resentment over their 2023 election loss, asserting that Tinubu’s administration has performed above average and that even greater achievements are ahead.

On assuming office, Tinubu rolled out various economic policies, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, unification of the forex policy, and naira devaluation, all of which were blamed for the food inflation and high cost of living in the country.

His government has also been criticised for failing to curb insecurity and the resurgence of terrorist attacks, which have claimed several lives.

Atiku, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, stated on Wednesday that a united front of opposition parties and leaders would work to save the country from the APC’s poor governance.

The former Vice President stated, “In just two years, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has proven to be one of the most incompetent, disconnected, and anti-people governments in Nigeria’s democratic history.

“No previous administration has inflicted this level of hardship on the masses while showing such disregard for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership. This government has not only deepened poverty across the country, but it has also set new records in wasteful public spending.

‘’At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive, government officials are living in excess and approving budgets that benefit the elite at the expense of the common man.

“It is sad that apart from being the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria has, under this administration, emerged as the unenviable position as the capital of malnourished children in Africa, having beaten Sudan, a nation that is at war. According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, our country is one of the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, occupying the 18th position.

“Policy after policy under this administration has targeted the poor while providing relief and advantage to the rich. From healthcare to education to identity management and basic public services, Nigerians are now faced with class-based systems where the wealthy enjoy VIP treatment, and the rest are left behind.”

Atiku criticised Tinubu’s government for removing the fuel subsidy in a manner he called reckless and insensitive, saying it triggered much of the current economic hardship.

He stated, “Just two weeks ago, the National Identity Management Commission hiked its fees by 75 per cent, introducing VIP protocols for services that should be a basic right of citizenship. In education, public university fees have been raised far beyond the reach of poor families, with no adequate support mechanisms in place.

“Even more troubling is the scale of borrowing under this government. When President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at approximately N49 trillion. In just two years, that figure has skyrocketed to N144 trillion — a 150 per cent increase — with more foreign loans now being requested, which could push the debt to N183 trillion.

“While the Federal Government racks up debt, state governments have shown more discipline, reducing their debt levels from N5.86 trillion to N3.97tn. The implication is clear: the Federal Government, under Tinubu, is the primary driver of Nigeria’s current debt crisis.

“President Tinubu’s justification — that new borrowing is needed to fund the 2025 budget and soften the impact of fuel subsidy removal — is both weak and dishonest. It was the reckless and insensitive way his government removed the subsidy that created much of today’s economic hardship in the first place.”

He expressed confidence that the coalition movement would defeat the President in 2027 and lead efforts to save Nigeria.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused Tinubu of failing in key areas, including the economy, national security, and the general welfare of Nigerians.

The party noted, “The Peoples Democratic Party has appraised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s two years in office and asserts that his administration is a massive disappointment.

“Nigerians have gone through hell under the insensitive Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress government, which evidently holds no good for the citizens. The PDP tasks President Tinubu to urgently address the issue of insecurity, reverse all economically suffocating policies and check the wholesale corruption, greed, unbridled profligacy, reckless misdirection of resources, arrogance in failure and totalitarian tendencies in his administration, which has shown itself as anti-people and impervious to the suffering of Nigerians.’’

Ologunagba scored Tinubu low in general welfare and the economy, arguing that the abrupt hike in petrol price and the devaluation of the naira executed by the Tinubu administration had crippled the productive sector, inflamed high costs, crashed millions of businesses, triggered mass job loss, escalated poverty, hunger, hardship, insecurity and hopelessness across the country.

 ‘’With the naira which exchanged for N167 to a US Dollar under the PDP administration now exchanging for over N1,600; petrol which sold for N87 per litre under the PDP now selling for over N1,000 per litre; with nearly 40 per cent inflation rate, over 42 per cent youth unemployment rate, acute food shortage, frightening rise in criminality and social vices, the situation in Nigeria has become so unbearable that many talented citizens are now fleeing the country with others resorting to suicide to escape the agonies inflicted by the APC government,’’ the PDP further lamented.

More troubling, the party said, was that from May 2023, when the ex-Lagos governor took office, more than 600,000 Nigerians have been killed by terrorists and bandits ‘’who are emboldened by the APC administration’s apparent negligence and failure to ensure the safety and security of the nation and her citizens.’’

The PDP asserted that the rising insecurity and economic decline are driving multinationals to leave Nigeria for better-run neighbouring countries.

The opposition party continued, “Unfortunately, instead of listening to our party and other well-meaning Nigerians, the Tinubu administration resorted to multiple taxes, exploitative charges and reckless foreign borrowing accumulating to N182.91tn (with the latest request of a fresh $24.14 billion (N38.24tn) with no corresponding development project or programme that benefits the people.

“More distressing is that while Nigerians suffer, the APC is obsessed with turning our country into a one-party state, while frittering the nation’s scarce resources for the acquisition of jets, pricey yachts, luxury mansions, expensive foreign trips and lavish lifestyle to the chagrin of other citizens.’’

The CUPP, through its National Publicity Secretary, Mark Adebayo, stated that Nigeria is deteriorating under Tinubu’s leadership.

Adebayo described Tinubu’s two years in office as marked by suffering, hunger, oppression, and insecurity.

CUPP stated, “Two years ago, severe hunger came to town in Nigeria through President Tinubu. Government in its most inhumane identity ascended the throne. Insecurity became exacerbated, and youth joblessness assumed exponential implosion.

“Out of school children statistics jumped from 20 million to almost 40mn. Inflation has leapt to over 36 per cent. Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad have been inactive because no ambassadors have been sent. Nigeria has become a sleeping partner in the comity of nations.’’

“The people in Benue and Plateau States and other parts of the country are being murdered in cold blood en masse daily by an invading army of terrorists, killer herders, and bold kidnappers. Even Abuja, the seat of government, is not safe from these predators who daily prey on innocent and defenceless Nigerians.

“Our health institutions are now worse than mere consulting centres, as the country’s health system has collapsed. The masses bear the heavy burden of Nigeria’s health sector crises as our president and his cabinet find solace abroad with their families for medical treatment.

‘’He has abandoned Nigerians to the vagaries of the medical chaos in the country without any significant intervention from the government, which makes Nigerians die unnecessarily from treatable illnesses,” the group further said.

Adebayo said Nigeria’s education system is rapidly declining, with quality education now limited to the wealthy and those in power who send their children abroad.

He claimed that under Tinubu, Nigerians can no longer freely express themselves, particularly on social media, as the government uses the security agencies to silence dissent.

The ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, described Tinubu’s two years in office as a total disappointment.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, he said those who struggled to enthrone democracy in Nigeria would be disheartened by Tinubu’s leadership, which he claimed has performed worse than past military regimes.

He stated, “This administration is a letdown. Any true democrat or patriot who worked to establish democracy in Nigeria will feel especially disappointed that one of their own, President Tinubu, has shown little concern for the masses.

“His administration has been more Machiavellian than even the military, showing no respect for the rule of law or democratic principles. In my view, this government is a failure and a major disappointment.

“That is why those who played a role in ending military rule must now work hard to regroup and rescue Nigeria. They must restore the country’s image, because one of their own, Tinubu, has caused significant damage to the Nigerian state.

Also, the Peoples Redemption Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party accused the Tinubu-led government of pursuing policies that have only worsened the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians, with little or no visible gains to show.

The National Chairman of the PRP, Falalu Bello, said the country is in a worse shape than it was under the previous administration, blaming Tinubu’s economic decisions for the deteriorating situation. 

“As far as I am concerned, the average Nigerian under the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu’s government has not fared well,” Bello stated.

“His reforms, desirable as they may seem, are not well thought through. What are the results? We are borrowing endlessly, and it is your generation and our children that will bear this burden, not people like me in our 70s.”

Bello also alleged that the proposed 2025 national budget is padded by over N6tn  and questioned the logic behind continued borrowing while wasteful spending goes unchecked.

“Why are we still borrowing? Why can’t we trim the budget instead of always padding it?” he queried.

Echoing similar sentiments, the National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, argued that the All Progressives Congress-led administration has inflicted pain and deprivation on Nigerians despite promising bold reforms.

“Although some economic policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidy, appear reasonable, the manner of implementation has brought nothing but hunger and starvation,” Johnson said.

He noted that the simultaneous removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira was ill-timed and poorly executed, leading to the currency’s free fall and a spike in inflation.

“With food inflation at an all-time high and the naira’s value plummeting, Nigerians now struggle with low purchasing power. You begin to ask: Where is the real gain of oil subsidy removal?” Johnson asked.

He further criticised the government’s continued reliance on borrowing, saying it has done little to reflect positively on the economy.

Johnson also raised concerns over worsening insecurity, referencing the recent alarm raised by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum over renewed Boko Haram attacks.

In his response, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, urged the opposition leaders and parties to be fair in their assessments, maintaining that Tinubu has outperformed the previous PDP administration over the past two years.

Ibrahim, in an interview with one of our correspondents, expressed confidence that the future holds even greater promise.

He stated, “Well, we cannot say our party has performed 100 per cent to expectations, but certainly, if we are going to be assessed—if the party is going to be assessed fairly and without any bias—you would give it above a pass mark.

“When you look at the challenges the country is facing, vis-à-vis the measures that have been put in place to correct these issues, you will see that the party and the government have done better than the previous administration of the PDP.

“We are not saying we have done excellently well. But definitely, we cannot be assessed below a pass mark when you take into account the challenges.”

The APC leader stated that the President’s actions are essential for putting the country on the right track.

He added, “So, Atiku and other opposition parties have the right to say what they said, simply because they are in the opposition. Their anger is driven by the bitterness of losing the 2022 election. But in reality, what they said is not the truth.

“We are optimistic that what lies ahead will be better than what has already been done. And what has been done has not fallen below the expectations of the people.

“Yes, there is hunger; there is discomfort. But these are challenges that came pursuant to the measures that have been put in place by this administration, and they are measures that had to be taken, and they were taken. The results we are expecting will justify the efforts mad