Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of entrenching personal and family interests into Nigeria’s key public sectors.
Atiku, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, claimed that Tinubu has effectively “mortgaged Nigeria’s future to himself, his family, and associates,” creating a situation where the nation may struggle to break free even after Tinubu leaves office.
In a statement released by the Atiku Media Office on Wednesday in Abuja, Atiku drew parallels between Tinubu’s business practices in Lagos and those now being replicated at the federal level.
“Just as Alpha Beta, Primero, and others act as Tinubu’s proxies in Lagos, managing critical sectors and generating revenue for him and his family, he has begun to replicate this at the federal level,” Atiku stated.
Atiku expressed particular concern over the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its partnership with OVH, a company in which Wale Tinubu’s Oando owns a 49% stake.
He criticized the recent acquisition of NNPC Retail by OVH, labeling it an “absurd situation” where Wale Tinubu’s Oando now effectively controls nearly half of NNPC Retail.
Atiku questioned the logic and transparency behind the deal, stating, “This represents a clear case of illogical business transactions and abuse of office by President Tinubu.”
He also criticized the retention of Mele Kyari as NNPC Group Managing Director and the appointment of Tinubu’s former boss, Pius Akinyelure, as NNPC Chairman.
“In a move that defies economic logic, OVH, previously owned by NNPC Retail, has now acquired NNPC Retail… Nigeria paid Wale Tinubu a significant sum to facilitate the Tinubu family’s acquisition of the national oil company,” Atiku added.
Atiku also expressed skepticism about the ongoing legislative investigation into the NNPC, arguing that those leading the probe, such as Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, have close ties to Tinubu and are unlikely to conduct a thorough investigation.
“Given that Tinubu is the Petroleum Minister, he should be held responsible for the sector’s issues. I doubt Bamidele will conduct a thorough investigation that might implicate his patron,” Atiku remarked.
The former vice president also raised concerns over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, which he said has been taken to court.
Atiku cited a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) that highlighted a close relationship between Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, and Gilbert Chagoury, who was awarded the highway contract without competitive bidding.
Atiku concluded by asserting that the absence of competitive bidding in major projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway, costing over $24 billion, is a clear indication of Tinubu’s unchecked influence.
“It seems that whatever Tinubu wants, he gets,” he added.