The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is in a state of panic ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Atiku asserted that no amount of political anxiety or propaganda from the presidency can erase what he described as the government’s catastrophic performance.

In a statement released on Saturday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President maintained that opposition parties do not need a conspiracy to highlight the failures of the current administration. He noted that the harsh economic realities on the ground speak for themselves and require no amplification from critics.

According to Atiku, the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and petroleum products are clear evidence of the government`s abysmal performance. He pointed out that petrol and diesel prices, currently hovering around N1,400 and N2,000 per litre respectively, have plunged millions of Nigerian households into unprecedented economic hardship.

This reaction follows an allegation made by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, who claimed that Atiku and the ADC were actively planning to sabotage the flag-off of President Tinubu’s upcoming presidential campaign. Alake had suggested that the opposition was resorting to underhanded tactics to undermine the ruling party`s electoral momentum.

Responding directly to the Minister`s claims, Atiku challenged Alake to produce verifiable proof rather than making baseless accusations. He demanded that the Minister present names, dates, and forensic findings to validate his allegations, dismissing the government`s rhetoric as an empty political stunt.

The ADC candidate further argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is being exposed by its own economic policies, which are visible in every market and filling station across the federation. He cited a World Bank estimate reported by Reuters, which stated that more than half of the Nigerian population lived in poverty over the past year.

Concluding his statement, Atiku maintained that high food inflation, which remains close to 20 per cent, is the direct consequence of an incompetent and ruinous economic course. He stressed that these brutal realities are the lived experiences of ordinary citizens and cannot be swept away under the guise of "fake news."