Hunger: Presidency Hits Back As Atiku Warns Of Revolution
The Presidency on Monday fired back at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his warning that Nigeria risked unrest similar to the French Revolution due to raging hunger.
According to the Federal Government, Atiku’s comments were a “cheap talk” and out of touch with recent economic data.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that, “Their latest statement demonstrates a disconnect from the authentic Nigerian reality.”
The opposition leader had said rising hunger could trigger mass anger reminiscent of the 1789 French uprising or the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
However, the Presidency countered that statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics painted a brighter picture.
According to the statement, headline inflation declined for the fifth straight month in August, while the country posted a record trade surplus, with non-oil exports nearly equalling crude oil at a 48:52 ratio.
The Presidency also said foreign reserves had climbed to nearly $42bn, up from $32bn when Tinubu took office, after settling more than $7bn in arrears, including $800m owed to foreign airlines.
The Presidency argued that “Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is recording unprecedented revenues.
“States are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly and still have surplus funds for capital and social projects—an achievement not previously witnessed at this scale. “Nigeria is moving in the right direction.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
