By Sunday Ani
Opposition coalition has described the two years of President Bola Tinubu as nightmarish, insisting that the administration has scored abysmally low on economy, governance and security.
Speaking on behalf of the group, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, said the APC government under Tinubu has not only deepened poverty across the country, it has also set new records in wasteful public spending.
He noted that the formation of a coalition of opposition parties is aimed at offering an alternative to the myriads of challenges currently facing Nigerians ranging from the rising economic hardship to governance challenges and insecurity.
Writing on his verified X, Abubakar said the coalition intends to address the deteriorating economic situation and growing inequality across the country.
“We are here to rescue Nigeria,” he said, outlining the coalition’s goal of providing a more effective approach to leadership.
The statement comes amid criticism of the government’s handling of public finances, with issues such as increasing debt levels, inflation, and the cost of public services being key points of contention.
He lamented that at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive, government officials are living large and approving budgets that benefit the elite at the expense of the common man.
He said it was sad that apart from being the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria has, under the Tinubu administration, clinched the unenviable position as the capital of malnourished children in Africa, having beaten a war-torn Sudan. He added that according to the Global Hunger Index 2024, Nigeria was one of the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, occupying the 18th position.
On the insensitivity of the Tinubu administration to the suffering of the poor masses, Atiku said: “Policy after policy under this administration has targeted the poor, while providing relief and advantage to the rich. From healthcare to education, identity management and basic public services, Nigerians are now faced with class-based systems where the wealthy enjoy VIP treatment, while the rest are left behind.
“Just two weeks ago, the National Identity Management Commission (@nimc_ng) hiked its fees by 75 percent, introducing VIP protocols for services that should be a basic right of citizenship. In education, public university fees have been raised far beyond the reach of poor families, with no adequate support mechanisms in place.”
The coalition had stated its intention to focus on institutional reforms, economic policy changes, and enhanced social services, including food security, education and governance accountability.
Atiku said that the goal of the coalition is to offer policy alternatives and hold the government accountable, positioning themselves as a counterbalance to declining public trust in leadership.
In the same vein, the Oyo State chapter of the Joint Action Front (JAF) also lambasted Tinubu’s mid-term scorecard, describing his administration’s performance as a monumental disaster.
Oyo JAF, in a press conference held at the University of Ibadan, called for an immediate end to attacks on democratic rights and the reversal of anti-people policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy, Naira devaluation and the commercialisation of social services, which are the primary drivers of the current hardship faced by Nigerian working people.
A text signed by Oyo State Coordinator of JAF, Ademola Aremu, accused the Tinubu administration of intensifying its assault on democratic rights, particularly the rights of workers, youths and ordinary people to organise, protest, and demand accountability and reversal of anti-poor policies.
It urged workers, youths, and the public to begin grassroots mobilisation in workplaces and communities, to compel the leadership of organised labour to initiate a nationwide mass action.
The group called for immediate reversal of fuel pump price, re-regulation of currency exchange rates and improvement of power, among other areas of concern.