Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Tinubu administration, describing Nigeria’s economic situation as “organised hardship dressed up as reform,” driven by poor policy choices and a disconnect from citizens’ realities.

Reacting to a recent warning by the IMF, Atiku said the report only confirms what Nigerians already experience daily. “What was promised as renewed hope has become renewed hardship—raw and relentless,” he said, adding that the government is ignoring a growing national emergency.

He argued that while officials rely on economic jargon, Nigerians face a harsher truth: declining wages, soaring food and transport costs, a volatile exchange rate, and a weakening currency. Despite higher global oil prices, he noted, poverty continues to deepen.

“At the grassroots, the situation is brutal,” he said. “Families are pulling children out of school, farmers are abandoning their lands due to insecurity, and young people remain unemployed. Small businesses are collapsing under rising costs and harsh conditions.”

Atiku warned that the crisis goes beyond economics, describing it as an erosion of human dignity. He also raised concerns about rising debt, saying the country is “borrowing without results,” with no visible improvement in citizens’ lives.

He criticised what he called the government’s focus on theory over reality, stressing that governance should be measured by everyday impact—affordable food, transport, and opportunities for citizens.

Calling for urgent action, Atiku urged the government to adopt practical, people-focused policies to stabilise prices, support businesses, and ease living costs.

“This is not the time for speeches but for real solutions,” he said. “The true test of leadership is whether people are better off. Today, Nigerians are worse off, and that reality cannot be ignored.”