{
  "id": 2536637,
  "title": "Atiku hits back, says Tinubu has worsened Nigerians’ economic situation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/atiku-hits-back-says-tinubu-has-worsened-nigerians-economic-situation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T07:02:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ripples Nigeria",
    "slug": "ripples-nigeria",
    "url": "https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/atiku-hits-back-says-tinubu-has-worsened-nigerians-economic-situation/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu, stating they have worsened the cost-of-living crisis for Nigerians despite increased government revenues. Atiku rejected Tinubu's description of his proposal to support the petroleum sector as economically ignorant, asserting that the current administration was unqualified to lecture Nigerians on economic management. He called for a targeted, temporary production-support mechanism to increase domestic refining and shield consumers from price shocks, rather than a return to the pre-Tinubu era subsidy regime. Atiku accused Tinubu's administration of applying a rigid approach to subsidy removal, resulting in a series of adverse economic consequences, including rising petrol prices, transportation costs, and food prices, as well as a depreciating naira. He questioned the government's financial obligations related to the petroleum sector, citing an estimated ₦17.5tn in petroleum under-recoveries and energy-security costs. Atiku argues that the removal of petrol subsidies without adequate measures to cushion the impact has left Nigerians bearing the brunt of the reforms while the government retains the financial burden.",
  "summary": "The verbal exchanges between the presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has continued, with the former number two citizen saying the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration have worsened the cost-of-living crisis of citizens despite increased government revenues. He rejected President Tinubu’s description of his proposed intervention in the petroleum sector as…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}