Atiku Criticises Tinubu’s Economic Policies Over Rising Cost of Living
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Jessica Chinanu Orji
ABUJA, NIGERIA — Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing concern that the rising cost of living is pushing some young Nigerians into desperate measures to survive.
Atiku, in a statement, said he had received what he described as “disturbing stories” of young Nigerians allegedly resorting to selling their kidneys and other body organs to meet basic financial needs.
He described the development as horrifying, arguing that young people who should be focused on developing ideas, building businesses and pursuing their dreams were instead being confronted with circumstances in which their organs could be viewed as sources of emergency income.
According to him, reports he had heard indicated that some kidneys were allegedly being offered for as little as ₦1.7 million, with proceeds reportedly intended to cover expenses such as food, rent, school fees, medical bills and transportation.
Atiku linked the reported desperation to what he described as the worsening cost-of-living crisis under the Tinubu administration.
He said rising prices of food, electricity, healthcare and housing had placed significant pressure on households, particularly young Nigerians struggling to secure employment and maintain their livelihoods.
“When the cost of living becomes unbearable, the unthinkable starts to look like an option,” Atiku said, warning that economic hardship could drive vulnerable citizens towards decisions that would ordinarily be considered unimaginable.
He noted that Nigerian law prohibits the commercial trade in human organs, but maintained that legislation alone could not address the underlying conditions that allegedly drive people towards such desperate choices.
Atiku argued that government economic reforms should ultimately improve the living conditions of citizens and expand opportunities for young people rather than deepen financial hardship.
“No government should celebrate reforms while citizens are reduced to selling parts of themselves to eat or pay bills,” he stated.
The former vice president said Nigeria needed economic policies capable of making essential goods and services more affordable while creating an environment where young people could build sustainable careers, businesses and livelihoods.
He further maintained that young Nigerians should be empowered to contribute to national development through innovation, entrepreneurship and productive employment instead of being forced by economic circumstances to consider risking their health and lives for money.
Atiku concluded his criticism with a political message contrasting his proposed approach with the current administration.
“Tinubu made Nigeria expensive. I will make Nigeria affordable again,” he said.
The statement comes amid continuing public debate over the impact of economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign-exchange reforms, on household incomes and the prices of essential commodities.
While Atiku presented the alleged sale of kidneys as an indication of the severity of economic hardship, the specific reports and figures cited in his statement were not independently verified in the information available for this report.
The controversy nonetheless highlights broader concerns about poverty, unemployment, healthcare access and the increasing financial pressures facing many Nigerian households.
