Atiku was reacting to President Tinubu’s recent statement where he likened calls for return of fuel subsidy to asking Moses to return to Egypt after leading the Israelites out of slavery.
But in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said Tinubu’s biblical analogy only shows how disconnected he is from the hardship Nigerians are going through.
“Bola, you are the Egypt Nigerians are desperate to escape,” Atiku declared.
According to him, Tinubu celebrated the day he made fuel expensive for Nigerians and is now lecturing struggling families on why they must never go back.
“You celebrate the day you made fuel more expensive, then lecture families struggling to pay for food and transport about why they must never go back,” he said.
Atiku accused the President of hiding under religious metaphors to defend a policy that has worsened the living conditions of Nigerians.
“At least Pharaoh knew he was holding people captive. Tinubu watches families cut meals, workers spend their salaries on transport and businesses struggle to keep their lights on, then tells them a story about Moses,” Atiku stated.
The former Vice President said what Nigerians need at the moment are practical solutions to the rising cost of living, not bible stories.
“Bola, a mother trying to feed her children cannot pay for food with a metaphor. A worker cannot get to work on a story about the Red Sea. Nigerians are asking how you intend to make life affordable. Answer them,” he said.
Atiku also unveiled his own plan to address the fuel price crisis, saying if elected, he would introduce a limited, budgeted support programme targeted only at petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians.
He explained that imported fuel would not benefit from the intervention, adding that independent auditors would be engaged to ensure the support actually translates to lower pump prices for consumers.
“My proposal is clear: give limited, budgeted support only to verified petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians. Imported fuel gets nothing. If it does not lower that price, it has failed its purpose,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate also faulted the Tinubu administration on insecurity, saying the President should take responsibility for the security of lives and property rather than blaming his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku was reacting to comments credited to Tinubu’s campaign Director-General, who reportedly said if a retired general like Buhari could not end insecurity, what is expected of Tinubu who is not a general.
“Let me remind them that President Yar’Adua was not a sergeant, yet he stamped it out,” Atiku said.
He said Nigerians expect the President to confront bandits and terrorists, rescue kidnapped citizens and make roads and farms safe again.
“If Tinubu cannot tell them how he will do that after more than three years in office, he has no business asking for four more years. The lives lost under his watch are not an argument about his predecessor. They are an indictment of his own leadership,” he added.
Atiku further raised concerns over the welfare of police officers, both serving and retired, alleging that many of them live in poor conditions despite risking their lives for the country.
He cited the case of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police who reportedly earns N29,000 monthly as pension, adding that some serving officers now depend on their pension savings to survive.
He called on President Tinubu to act on the Police Exit Bill and review the salaries of serving police officers, just as it was done for members of the Armed Forces.
“Bola, answer the retired officers asking for a pension they can live on. Act on the Police Exit Bill and review serving officers’ salaries, as was done for members of the Armed Forces,” Atiku said.
According to him, police officers need decent pay, healthcare and retirement benefits to serve effectively without sacrificing their families’ future.
Atiku concluded by returning to Tinubu’s Egypt analogy, insisting that for millions of Nigerians, Egypt is not behind them but what they are currently living through under the present administration.
“Stop pointing to Egypt as though it lies behind us. For millions of Nigerians, Egypt is the hunger, fear and indignity they are living through under you. They deserve affordable fuel, safe communities and police officers who can serve without sacrificing their families’ future,” he said.
“Tinubu made life expensive. I will make life affordable again,” Atiku added.
