It’s Not My Fault You Can’t Read’: Atiku Fires Back At Tinubu, Accuses Him Of Hypocrisy, Historical Amnesia
‘It’s Not My Fault You Can’t Read’: Atiku Fires Back At Tinubu, Accuses Him Of Hypocrisy, Historical Amnesia
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described Tinubu’s recent remarks as a “reckless tirade” that reflects “a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of hypocrisy, distortion of historical facts, and political desperation.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described Tinubu’s recent remarks as a “reckless tirade” that reflects “a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia.”
The statement said the former vice president was taken aback that a sitting president, who has faced persistent public scrutiny over his own credentials, would attempt to discredit others with what it called well-documented records of public service.
“Atiku Abubakar’s attention has been drawn to the latest reckless tirade by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a performance that exposes not just desperation, but a troubling pattern of hypocrisy and historical amnesia,” the statement read.
Atiku’s camp also tackled Tinubu’s criticism of privatisation policies, arguing that the president’s position lacks consistency and collapses under scrutiny.
According to the statement, Atiku had long championed the privatisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), now called Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the sale of refineries to credible investors, policies it claimed Tinubu opposed in the past.
The statement, however, alleged that the current administration is now overseeing a form of commercialisation of the national oil company carried out “in opacity, without clear valuation, without transparency, and with lingering questions about who truly benefits.”
“This is not reform; it is privatisation without accountability,” the statement added.
Defending Atiku’s record in government, the statement cited several companies as outcomes of the privatisation programme he supervised, including Oando Plc, Conoil Plc, Ardova Plc (formerly African Petroleum), Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Benue Cement Company, and Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
These, it said, remain “enduring testaments” to policies that revitalised struggling state enterprises and encouraged private sector growth.
The statement also took a direct swipe at Tinubu’s intellectual standing, claiming his comments reflected a failure to engage with documented history on Nigeria’s economic reforms.
“It is not our fault that the President does not and cannot read,” the statement said, in a remark that also referenced lingering controversies surrounding Tinubu’s academic background, including his association with Chicago State University.
It further cited former Minister Nasir El-Rufai’s book, The Accidental Public Servant, as a documented account of Nigeria’s privatisation process, describing the reforms as structured efforts aimed at dismantling inefficiency and driving economic growth.
“You cannot oppose reform when it demands courage and then execute a shadow version of it in power,” the statement added.
Beyond policy disagreements, Atiku’s camp criticised the tone of Tinubu’s remarks, accusing the president of resorting to mockery instead of engaging with facts.
“The President’s attempt to reduce a serious economic legacy to playground ridicule only underscores a deeper problem: a leadership more comfortable with insults than with facts,” it said.
The statement also painted a bleak picture of the country’s economic situation, alleging that Nigerians are grappling with worsening hardship under the current administration.
It claimed that rising inflation, declining purchasing power, and insecurity have left many families struggling to survive, with businesses shutting down and hope diminishing across the country.
“What has been marketed as reform has translated into hardship without relief,” the statement said, adding that government policies continue to worsen living conditions without offering a clear path to recovery.
The former vice president maintained that his record in office remains “clear, documented, and defensible,” while noting that “persistent public concerns” about Tinubu’s identity, age, and academic history remain unresolved.
“A leader who has not fully resolved questions about his own background should exercise restraint before casting aspersions on others,” the statement added.
The statement concluded with a warning: “Nigerians are watching.”
President Tinubu on Thursday said he remains unfazed by opposition figures, dismissing them as “noise-makers” who, according to him, lack respect for the rule of law.
The president made the remarks during a meeting with leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors drawn from all 36 states, held at the State House in Abuja.
The delegation was led by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who serves as Director-General of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
During the meeting, Tinubu also took a swipe at Atiku, a member of the African Democratic Congress. He referenced Atiku’s tenure as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, questioning the outcomes of some of the privatisation exercises carried out under his leadership.
“The head was the Chairman of the Privatisation Council of Nigeria at one time. He privatised the steel industry in Delta, is it working today? No,” he said.
“They privatised Ajaokuta. Is it working today? Go on the list. They privatised another man’s political party. That one said no.”
