The Presidency has firmly rejected the claims made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar regarding hunger in Nigeria, asserting instead that the nation is progressing well under President Bola Tinubu's leadership. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, issued a statement emphasizing the achievements of the current administration.
Onanuga pointed out that many of the issues currently being tackled were rooted in the era of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a time when Atiku served as Vice President. On Monday, Atiku expressed deep concern that more than two years into President Tinubu's term, there are still no signs of effective measures to combat the severe hunger and poverty plaguing the country. He described the situation as intolerable, especially for the underprivileged and marginalized.
“No government that values its role can ignore the urgent needs of its people,” Atiku stated, criticizing the administration's claims of reform while highlighting the ongoing food insecurity faced by many Nigerians.
In response, Bayo Onanuga quickly dismissed Atiku's accusations, stating that “talk is cheap.” He criticized the former Vice President and his team for being disconnected from the positive changes happening in Nigeria today. Onanuga described Atiku’s assertion that hunger is rampant in the country, along with his historical comparisons to France before the 1789 Revolution and Russia during the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, as misleading.
Onanuga's statement continued, “The claims made by Atiku Abubakar and his team show a clear disconnection from the real situation on the ground. Recent data contradicts their narrative. Just today, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that headline inflation has decreased for the fifth month in a row. Additionally, over the weekend, the NBS announced a record trade surplus, with non-oil exports almost matching crude oil contributions at 48:52 percent.
Moreover, our foreign exchange reserves are climbing, nearing $42 billion—up from $32 billion when President Tinubu took office, much of which was tied up. This government has successfully cleared over $7 billion in outstanding debts, including $800 million owed to airlines.
Under President Tinubu's administration, Nigeria is experiencing unprecedented revenue growth. States are now capable of paying salaries and benefits on time while still having extra funds available for development projects—an accomplishment that hasn’t been seen at this level before.