Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has launched a sharp rebuttal against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of hypocrisy, distortion of history, and political desperation following a heated exchange over Nigeria’s privatisation programme.
Tinubu’s initial remarks trigger controversy
The confrontation began after President Tinubu, during a meeting with the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, accused Atiku of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and questioned the outcomes of past privatisation efforts overseen by the former vice-president.
Tinubu argued that several assets sold under the programme, including steel projects and Ajaokuta Steel Company, had failed to deliver expected results.
“The head [Atiku] was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria… is it working today? No,” Tinubu said.
Atiku responds through aide
In a strongly worded statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the president’s comments as a “reckless tirade” and accused him of rewriting established economic history.
The statement described Tinubu’s remarks as “a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia,” insisting that the privatisation programme under Atiku produced long-standing private sector success stories.
It listed companies such as Oando, Conoil, Ardova Plc, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Benue Cement Company, and Transcorp Hilton Abuja as examples of successful reforms.
Defence of privatisation legacy
Atiku’s camp maintained that the former vice-president played a key role in driving reforms that revived struggling state enterprises and strengthened private sector participation in the economy.
It also argued that Tinubu had previously opposed some of the reforms he now appears to support in office, particularly in the oil sector.
According to the statement, current economic policies are being implemented “without transparency and accountability.”
Personal jabs escalate tension
The response took a more personal tone, accusing the president of ignorance and questioning his academic history, while also referencing past controversies around his educational background.
“If he were properly educated he would have acquainted himself with the privatisation records,” the statement said.
It further described Tinubu’s comments as reflective of “a leadership more comfortable with insults than facts.”
Economic hardship enters the debate
Atiku’s camp also linked the exchange to Nigeria’s current economic situation, pointing to rising inflation, job losses, and worsening cost of living across the country.
It argued that what is being described as reform has instead translated into hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
Political tension deepens ahead of future contests
The latest exchange highlights growing political friction between both camps as debates around Nigeria’s economic direction and past reform policies continue to intensify.