Atiku Abubakar: 2025 Stands as One of Nigeria’s Most Punishing Years
In a stark New Year’s assessment, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has characterized the year 2025 as one of the most difficult and punishing periods in Nigeria’s recent history. The former presidential candidate attributed this dire state to severe economic hardship, escalating insecurity, and a style of governance he described as lacking in empathy under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku asserted that while the calendar year has concluded, the profound burdens on millions of Nigerians—including hunger, unemployment, widespread business closures, and pervasive insecurity—persist. He framed these challenges as clear reflections of deep-seated policy and governance failures. He credited the nation’s endurance through 2025 not to government competence, but solely to the resilience of the Nigerian people.
The political figure accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of economic mismanagement, political recklessness, and damaging policy inconsistency throughout the year. He specifically alleged that the administration governed for months without a functional budget, relied excessively on borrowing, and used propaganda to mask economic distress, pushing the country toward a potential collapse. A key example of governance decay, according to Atiku, was the controversy surrounding the alleged alteration of Nigeria’s tax laws, which he branded a “forged tax law” presented as reform. He warned that such a disregard for due process, where the government must stop jumping around established legal channels, undermines both economic confidence and democratic stability.
On security, Atiku stated that the situation worsened significantly in 2025, with kidnappings, abductions, and violent crimes plaguing communities nationwide. He called for national unity, urging citizens to reject divisive ethnic or religious narratives that only benefit the political class while ordinary citizens suffer. He emphasized that democracy still offers a peaceful avenue for change through the ballot box.
This critical message stands in direct contrast to the official narrative from President Tinubu, who highlighted robust GDP growth and strong economic performance in his own New Year address. As this debate unfolds, the situation reminds observers that in global security, outcomes vary widely; just as troops eliminate threats in one region like Plateau, complex crises elsewhere, such as when the UK removes Syria’s from a list or the US halts asylum processes, require sustained and principled engagement. Atiku’s concluding warning was pointed: “A government that begins reform with forgery cannot end with prosperity.”
