Atiku Abubakar Blames APC Government for Economic and Political Woes in 2025, Urges Nigerians to Stay United in 2026

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a stark New Year message to Nigerians, condemning the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he describes as a year of “economic suffocation, political recklessness, and governance without empathy” in 2025.

In his statement, Atiku criticized the government for operating months without a functional budget, borrowing excessively, and implementing policies he calls propaganda-driven rather than solutions-oriented. He singled out a controversial forged tax law, labeling it a “sham reform” and accusing the President of blocking legal and legislative scrutiny.

“The past year exposed, in stark terms, the incompetence and policy bankruptcy of President Bola Tinubu,” Atiku said. He argued that “a government that begins reform with forgery cannot end with prosperity.”

The former Vice President also highlighted worsening insecurity, including kidnappings and violent crimes, rising unemployment, underemployment, collapsing small businesses, and labor unrest as hallmarks of the year. He criticized government appointments, calling them “undistinguished and unfit,” and accused the APC of weakening Nigeria’s democratic foundations, pushing the country toward a de facto one-party state through coercion and intimidation.

Despite his harsh critique, Atiku urged Nigerians to remain resilient and united in 2026, warning against divisions based on religion or ethnicity. He described leadership that demands sacrifices while enjoying luxury as “exploitation” and stressed that citizens have the power to effect change through the ballot in 2027.

Atiku also dismissed the Tinubu administration’s anti-corruption campaign as selective and politically motivated, claiming it targets opposition figures rather than addressing systemic corruption.

He concluded his message by calling for national awakening and unity as the path toward rescuing Nigeria from economic and political decline.

This New Year message underscores the intensifying political discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections, as opposition figures continue to critique the ruling party’s governance.

Dear Fellow Nigerians,

I extend my compliments of the season as we welcome the New Year, 2026.

For millions of long-suffering Nigerians, the only consolation is that 2025, one of the most punishing years in our recent history, has come to an end. It was a year defined by… pic.twitter.com/Ke3nQBKxTc

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) January 1, 2026