Atiku Abubakar Urges Nigerian Government to Prioritize Economy and Security Over Debt Figures

Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticized the Federal Government's focus on national borrowing statistics, urging a greater emphasis on tackling the severe economic hardship and escalating insecurity plaguing the country. Abubakar stated that the Presidency's recent comments, which suggested Nigeria's borrowing level is lower than some African nations, demonstrate a "dangerous disconnect" from the grim realities faced by ordinary citizens.

"It is both astonishing and insulting that at a time when millions of Nigerians can barely afford one meal a day, when parents are withdrawing children from school because of crushing hardship, when businesses are collapsing under unbearable electricity tariffs and inflation, and when entire communities are being overrun by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, the Presidency is celebrating debt figures as though indebtedness itself were an economic achievement," Abubakar said in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

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It is both astonishing and insulting that at a time when millions of Nigerians can barely afford one meal a day, when parents are withdrawing children from school because of crushing hardship, when businesses are collapsing under unbearable electricity tariffs and inflation, and when entire communities are being overrun by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, the Presidency is celebrating debt figures as though indebtedness itself were an economic achievement.

Abubakar stressed that economic policies must be evaluated by their impact on citizens' welfare and national development. He argued that government borrowing should be directly tied to productive investments capable of improving infrastructure, agriculture, security, and overall economic growth. The former Vice President highlighted that many Nigerians are struggling with rising food prices, inflation, and business challenges, asserting that government policies should prioritize improving living conditions nationwide.

The presidential candidate also voiced deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, noting its detrimental effect on farming activities and food production in numerous communities. He observed that Nigerians are far more preoccupied with food affordability, personal safety, and economic opportunities than with international comparisons of Nigeria's debt profile. "No nation becomes prosperous by borrowing to finance consumption, sustain wasteful government lifestyles, and paper over policy failures," he stated, advocating for responsible borrowing aimed at expanding productivity and creating jobs.

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No nation becomes prosperous by borrowing to finance consumption, sustain wasteful government lifestyles, and paper over policy failures.