Tinubu, Atiku trade words ova 'hunger and poverty' for Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu don accuse di opposition of creating "hunger and poverty" for Nigeria.

Di Nigerian leader wey make di comment during di flag-off of im second term re-election campaign rally for Kaduna state on Saturday, tok say im administration dey work to clean up di mess wey opposition party leave behind.

"My opponents dey tok about hunger and poverty. I ask di crowd today who create these problems. Na dem. Na us dey work to clear dem. Di subsidy racket, fraudulent invoices and fuel smuggling dey solidly behind us, and we no dey go back," Tinubu tok.

E say dem confront wetin dem inherit wit courage and political will, and dem dey build economy wey dey reward hard work and create opportunities for Nigerians.

Atiku fire back at presidency

One former Vice President wey also be di Presidential candidate of di Africa Democratic Congress Abubakar Atiku don fire back at di presidency as say di president dey try dodge responsibility.

Atiku for one statement wey im tok-tok pesin Phrank Shaibu issue say di President no fit light di fire of hardship wit im own policies, then blame di neighbours for di smoke.

"Mr President, to blame opposition for hunger na either serious self-deceit or political forgetfulness. APC don rule Nigeria for ova eleven years now, from di eight years bifor you enta office plus di three-and-a-half years wey you don spend for power. Nigerians sabi who dey hold govment, and hardship no start becos opposition begin tok about am. Instead of insulting pipo intelligence, make una answer for una record and explain wetin una don do to improve Nigerians' lives," Atiku tok for di statement.

E question which administration remove petrol subsidy and watch di naira fall from naira fall from about ₦471 to ₦1,329 to di dollar?

Atiku also question which administration be di one wey poverty rise under am reach point wey make di World Bank estimate say 63 per cent of Nigerians go dey below di national poverty line by 2026?

However, di 74-year-old president wey dey seek re-election don defend im administration economy policies.

E urge im supporters say make dem no dey deceived by claims from im opponents.

"Be careful; watch dem. No let dem lie to you. Wetin dey di past dey di past. Fuel subsidy na our past: no more corruption, no more falsification of invoices, no more lies, no more smuggling of fuel," e tok.

Since e enta office for May 2023, Tinubu administration don carry out major economic reforms, wey include di removal of petrol subsidy and changes to di foreign exchange regime.

Di govment bin defend di measures as necessary to reduce public expenditure plus to tackle alleged corruption wey dey di subsidy system, and establish di foundations for sustainable economic growth.

While Tinubu insist say di removal of di subsidy dey irreversible, critics and opposition don continue to demand for evidence wey show say dem dey translate di reforms wey di savings and additional revenue don generate to make life beta for ordinary Nigerians.

For di rally, di president say im party govnors dey carry out infrastructure projects, dem dey pay salary regularly, and development dey take shape.

President Tinubu dey contest for di 16 January general election as di presidential candidate of di ruling All Progressive's Congress (APC).

Im main opponents wey dey contend wit am for di number one seat include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of di Africa Democratic Party (ADC) and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of di Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Di removal of fuel subsidy don emerge as one of di major issue ahead of di 2027 election, as some opposition figures, wey include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, don promise to restore am if elected.

Oda major issues wey go form basis of tok-tok for dis election go include security, cost of living, among odas.