Dr. Josef Onoh, a former South East spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, has strongly criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his recent comments targeting the President.
Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, had accused Tinubu of effectively mortgaging Nigeria’s future to benefit himself, his family, and associates.
Atiku claimed that President Tinubu was replicating the control he allegedly exercised over Lagos State at the federal level, pointing to entities like Alpha Beta and Primero as proxies for Tinubu’s interests.
He argued that this pattern of governance would entrench Tinubu’s influence even after his tenure ends.
In a swift response, Dr. Onoh dismissed Atiku’s remarks as baseless and misleading, accusing the former Vice President of attempting to incite public resentment against President Tinubu and his family.
He argued that Atiku’s record in government, particularly during his time overseeing Nigeria’s privatization program, was marked by actions that plunged millions of Nigerians into poverty and unemployment.
“Atiku is the forerunner of the current hardship and poverty in Nigeria. He mortgaged Nigeria’s future to companies owned by his cronies and associates, robbing the country of its valuable assets,” he said.
Onoh went on to detail what he described as a litany of mismanagement and corrupt practices under Atiku’s leadership, specifically referencing the controversial sale of the Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi.
Onoh cited data indicating that manufacturing accounted for only 6% of Nigeria’s GDP in 2002, with the economy shrinking by half within the first three years of the Obasanjo-Atiku administration.
“In 2002, under Atiku’s watch, Nigeria’s economy was crippled, leading to the closure of all textile factories and a dramatic increase in unemployment.
“This is the legacy of a man who now dares to accuse President Tinubu of mortgaging our future,” Onoh stated.
Onoh further made reference to the privatization of key national assets during Atiku’s tenure, including Nigeria’s Ports Authority, the Nigeria Railway Corporation, and Nigeria Airways.
He claimed that these sales were conducted in a manner that benefited Atiku’s associates while leaving the country worse off.
“Atiku’s administration sacked thousands of workers, sold off national assets for peanuts, and left the nation with unpaid pensions and massive debts.
“He destroyed industries like NigerDock and NITEL, and sold critical infrastructure to cronies at the expense of the Nigerian people,” he stated.
Onoh challenged Atiku to account for the numerous federal assets privatized under his watch. He accused Atiku of using his position to enrich himself and his allies, to the detriment of Nigeria’s future.
“A man who supervised the sale of over 145 federal investments as Vice President, without a thought for the future, now dares to accuse President Bola Tinubu of mortgaging our future,” Onoh said.
He advised Atiku to act as a statesman rather than a salesman, urging him to reflect on the lasting consequences of his actions on the nation.
