Paul Ibe, the media spokesperson for former PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s policies, describing them as unplanned and experimental.
Ibe claimed that Tinubu did not have a clear policy agenda, which he believes is a primary reason for the suffering Nigerians are currently enduring. He added that Tinubu was not adequately prepared for governance, especially when compared to Atiku, who had a solid economic blueprint called My Covenant.
Speaking with News Central, Ibe said: “When Tinubu assumed the presidency, he took on both assets and liabilities. He needs to stop focusing on the past, as doing so may lead to the same fate as Lot’s wife, turning into a pillar of salt.”
Ibe pointed out that it was during the Obasanjo administration, which Atiku was part of, that the gradual process of subsidy removal began. This was intended to be continued by future governments, including Yar’Adua’s, in a series of incremental steps rather than one dramatic removal that could have major consequences. Unfortunately, he said, this plan was abandoned, leading to the current crisis.
According to Ibe, Nigerians never rejected Atiku; instead, his mandate was allegedly stolen by the APC with the help of INEC and other state institutions. He also criticized the Tinubu administration for failing to articulate any clear policies, suggesting that their approach to governance has been marked by confusion and trial-and-error.
Atiku, by contrast, had a policy framework in place that was updated with input from Nigerians. If Tinubu had such a framework, Ibe argued, Nigeria would not be facing the current struggles. He concluded that the Tinubu administration’s lack of preparation and its mismanagement of key issues like subsidy removal and the new forex regime are to blame for the ongoing difficulties faced by Nigerians.