'No make life unbearable and distribute bags of rice' - Atiku tell Tinubu for world press conference

Presidential candidate of di African Democratic Congress (ADC) Atiku Abubakar say Nigerians dey live wit di consequences of petroleum subsidy removal wey no get adequate protection for citizens during di transition.

Atiku Abubakar for di world press conference wey e do for Abuja on Friday, 18 September, tok say once petrol price go up, evritin dey follow am go up.

E say for ova three years now, Nigerians dey live wit di burden wey don waka far, from petrol station to di bus-stop, to market and offices wia pipo dey work.

"Wen govment make energy expensive, life go dey expensive." Im say dis tok no be argument again between economies but na wetin millions of pipo dey face for Nigeria.

Di former vice president of Nigeria add say President Bola Tinubu dismiss im proposal to review di petroleum subsidy and bring beta intervention wey go bring down di cost of petrol.

Atiku describe am as "ignorance wey President Bola Tinubu demonstrate on govnance and economy".

Di ADC presidential candidate say govment suppose listen wen di Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) call for support for workers sake of rising cost of petrol. Im explain say even business pipo, petroleum markets, market women and families dey feel di heat too and Oga Tinubu no wan listen.

As election dey come so di gbas-gbos between President Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar no be like wetin go end soon.

For di world press conference, Atiku tok about oda tins wey dey affect Nigerians.

GDP Growth celebration

Atiku Abubakar say across Nigerian factories, production cuts dey rise and goods wey dem neva sell dey pile up for warehouses.

"Manufacturers dey struggle to continue to produce and families dey struggle to buy wetin di manufacturers dey produce.

"Di goods dey, di needs dey, wetin dey miss na di purchasing power," Atiku tok.

Atiku add: "Govment dey celebrate Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, higher revenues and bigger allocations but Nigerians dey judge di economy wit wetin dia money fit buy.

"If govment dey receive more naira while di naira wey di citizens get dey buy less food and less fuel and less electricity and less transportation, den bigger govment revenues no mean anytin to di families wey dey struggle to survive."

According to Atiku, make dem judge reform by wetin e dey do for pipo life, e suppose expand production, create opportunity and improve di standard of living, no be "endless explanation for hardship".

E call on Oga Tinubu to act now sake of say e get only eight months to stay for office and make e use di eight months improve di lives of Nigerians.

"Make Bola Tinubu no shame to do wetin dey necessary to lower di price of petroleum simply becos Atiku Abubakar propose govment intervention, make im just take di idea , give am anoda name if im like and take di credit, wetin mata to me na make Nigerians pay less. Idea wey dey sensible no go dey bad becos e come from your opponent."

'Bag of rice no go fit repair di economy wey transportation cost big pass salaries'

Atiku tell President Tinubu say make e no make life unbearable for Nigerians and begin distribute bags of rice as evidence of compassion.

"Emergency assistance get im place but palliative no go fit substitute for sound economic policy.

"Bag of rice no go fit repair di economy wey transportation cost dey big pass salaries, cash transfer no go fit permanently compensate di worker wey im income dey finish fast sake of energy cost," e tok.

Atiku add say Tinubu govment wan remove subsidy for electricity by 2027.

"If you elect Bola Tinubu again blame yoursefs," e tok.