Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s comments on Nigeria’s relatively low petrol prices, describing the comparison as misleading and lacking proper context.
In a statement issued by his media office and signed by spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that fuel pricing alone does not accurately reflect the country’s economic reality.
He maintained that despite lower petrol prices on paper, Nigerians are grappling with harsh economic conditions driven by rising inflation, stagnant wages, and an increasing cost of living.
According to him, the true indicator of economic wellbeing is purchasing power—how far citizens’ income can go in meeting basic needs—not selective comparisons with other countries.
Atiku also criticised the uniform minimum wage structure, describing it as insufficient and disconnected from the higher living costs in major cities across the country.
He called on the Tinubu administration to move beyond what he termed “statistical narratives” and focus on practical, people-centred policies that deliver real relief, stressing that Nigerians are more concerned with tangible improvements than theoretical comparisons.
