The Presidency has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s warning that rising hunger could trigger unrest in Nigeria similar to the French or Russian revolutions.
In a statement on Monday, Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga described Atiku’s remarks as “cheap talk” and out of touch with current economic realities. Atiku, who contested against President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election, had cautioned that food insecurity could fuel mass anger akin to the 1789 French Revolution or the 1917 Bolshevik uprising.
The Presidency countered that recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed improvements, including five consecutive months of declining inflation, a record trade surplus, and a stronger balance of exports, with non-oil exports nearly matching crude oil.
It also noted that foreign reserves had risen to nearly $42bn from $32bn when Tinubu assumed office, despite settling more than $7bn in outstanding obligations.
Onanuga argued that states are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly while funding capital projects, a development he said was unprecedented, while he accused Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party of ignoring these gains and focusing on “doomsday scenarios,” adding that current reforms were aimed at correcting years of mismanagement under the PDP.
Tinubu, now more than two years in office, has introduced major reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification. While officials insist these measures are stabilizing finances and attracting investment, critics argue they have intensified hardship, with food inflation and poverty still widespread.