![Popular Small-Size Actress Aunty Ajara Dies After Liver Illness [VIDEO]](https://thepunchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20241109_125042-75x75.jpg)
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has launched a blistering critique of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing the Federal Government of economic mismanagement, worsening insecurity, and deliberate erosion of democratic institutions.
In a New Year message released on Thursday, Atiku described 2025 as one of the most “punishing” years in Nigeria’s recent history, blaming what he called governance without empathy under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Nigerians endured “economic suffocation, political recklessness, and policy bankruptcy,” alleging that the Tinubu administration governed for months without a functional budget while leaning heavily on propaganda and excessive borrowing.
According to him, the controversy surrounding a disputed tax law best symbolised what he described as the decay of the current administration.
“A government that begins reform with forgery cannot end with prosperity,” Atiku said.
Allegations of Democratic Erosion
The former vice-president further accused the ruling party of deliberately weakening Nigeria’s democratic institutions, alleging attempts to turn the country into a de facto one-party state through intimidation, coercion, and state capture.
He also warned that a government capable of manipulating laws could not be trusted to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
Insecurity, Hardship Deepen
Atiku said insecurity worsened significantly in 2025, with kidnappings, abductions, and violent crimes spreading across the country. He added that rising unemployment, labour unrest, and the collapse of small businesses had compounded the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
Despite these challenges, he said the country survived “not because of government competence, but because of the resilience of its people.”
“This is one of the most painful New Year messages I have ever written, fully aware of the despair confronting millions due to the callous and soulless policies of the Tinubu-led APC government,” he stated.
‘Sacrifice Without Shared Pain Is Cruel’
Atiku criticised repeated calls for citizens to make sacrifices, describing them as cruel when leaders continue to live in comfort.
“Leadership without shared pain is not leadership; it is exploitation,” he said.
Selective Anti-Corruption Fight
The former vice-president also took aim at what he described as selective enforcement of anti-corruption laws, accusing the government of weaponising state institutions against political opponents.
“The so-called anti-corruption crusade of this government is a facade—selective, vindictive, and politically motivated. It has become a tool for persecuting opposition figures rather than cleansing the system,” he said.
He added that while fighting corruption is essential, justice is undermined when agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) act with bias.
“Institutions must act without fear or favour,” he stressed.
Call to Action Ahead of 2027
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Atiku urged Nigerians to mobilise, organise, and actively defend their votes.
“Let us vote out hunger, insecurity, unemployment, dishonesty, corruption, abductions, lies, and propaganda,” he said.
He concluded with a rallying call for national renewal:
“Nigeria deserves better. Nigerians deserve dignity.
2026 is the year to till the soil.
2027 is the year of harvest.
It is too late to turn back. Let us rise, organise, and reclaim our country.”
