President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday launched a scathing critique against former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of demonstrating profound ignorance regarding the dynamics of governance and economic management.
​The response from the administration followed criticisms leveled against the Federal Government’s economic direction and policy implementation.
​In a official statement released on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, outlined the government’s position on behalf of President Tinubu.
​The Presidency’s statement addressed recent economic commentaries made by Atiku through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu. The administration argued that Atiku’s proposed alternative economic models reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of fiscal policy, exchange rate management, and fuel subsidy frameworks.
​”Atiku’s criticisms of President Tinubu’s economic reforms stem from serious ignorance of governance and the economy,” the statement read, noting that the former Vice President’s proposed economic measures failed to offer realistic alternatives to current structural reforms.
​The Presidency defended the removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the Naira, describing them as necessary, long-overdue measures designed to prevent fiscal collapse and redirect state resources toward infrastructure, security, and targeted social intervention programs.
The administration urged opposition leaders to engage in constructive discourse focused on long-term national growth rather than political distraction.
