Time for Atiku To Be More Decorous and Truthful in National Discourse, IMPI Says
- Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been slammed for his criticism of President Bola Tinubu's administration
- The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) said the attacks on Tinubu's policies by Atiku were not constructive
- They said they were amazed at how Atiku structured his criticism like one who had not been at the helm of affairs before
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Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro
FCT, Abuja - The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's recent remarks in public, labelling them as biased attacks aimed at undermining President Bola Tinubu's policies through oversimplified criticisms.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, IMPI expressed concerns about the quality of Atiku's recent press releases, suggesting they demonstrate a surprising lack of comprehension from someone who formerly held the position of Vice President.
Source: Getty Images
The policy group also examined the initial year of Atiku's vice presidency, during which he led the economic team under Obasanjo, and contrasted it with the first eight months of President Tinubu's tenure.
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The statement reads:
"In 1999 when Waziri Abubakar was sworn into office as Vice President and supposed head of the economic team, inflation rate was 6.9 percent but by 2000, that is a year after, it had risen to 17.8 percent. That was about 11 percent increase.
"We noted that there was no policy on fuel subsidy removal at this time that could have possibly triggered this rapid increase in inflation rate.
"We contrasted this to the 22.41 percent inflation figure in May 2023 when President Tinubu was sworn-in. The latest inflation figure is for December 2023 with the figure stated at 28.92 percent showing about 6 percent increase.
"This is despite the twin policies of subsidy removal, the floating of the Naira and the large population the current administration has had to manage."
IMPI rolls out Atiku's records
According to the statement, Atiku had a significant financial advantage in the specified year, with revenue primarily from crude oil totalling $15.81 billion.
However, this surplus did not translate into a decrease in inflation rates. Conversely, during the current Tinubu-led presidency, crude oil sales have not surpassed $4 billion from June 2023 to January 2024.
Despite this, the administration has been handling the challenges arising from removing fuel subsidies and floating the Naira amidst a sizable population.
IPMI contended that despite Atiku's consistent efforts to maintain a favourable public image, significant unresolved queries remain about his tenure in government.
Chief among these is the persistent accusation that Atiku facilitated a $20 million payment to secure a telecommunications license for Globacom in August 2002, with the alleged involvement of a proxy representing his ownership stake in the company.
The organisation highlighted the irony of this situation, especially given the contentious rivalry between Atiku and his superior, Obasanjo, regarding control of the national telecommunications entity, NITEL.
Following convoluted proceedings, both figures ultimately left NITEL in a state of financial ruin, devoid of any residual value.
The group said:
"There was also a report of the Nigerian Senate in 2007 accusing Abubakar of diverting $145 million from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to private companies."
IMPI said it expects the former vice president to be more proper and truthful in his approach to national issues, even as a member of the opposition.
Presidency blasts Atiku over criticism of Tinubu’s govt
Meanwhile, the presidency has replied to Atiku Abubakar and the PDP's lamentations about the nation's current state.
Bayo Onanuga insisted that Tinubu would not perform magic overnight, noting that he was focused on fixing Nigeria and reviving the economy, which would take time.
The APC chieftain said Atiku's new hobby was criticising Tinubu's government since he failed to secure the presidency in 2023.
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Source: Legit.ng
