By Adamu Hamzer Marree Talum
It is indeed a comic relief to me whenever I come across articles written purely out of sentiment, particularly those attempting to compare Atiku Abubakar with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
These two political gladiators are, in my view, incomparable in many spheres of leadership and governance. The Tinubu administration is, in many respects, a continuation of the Muhammadu Buhari era—an administration that subjected Nigerians to severe economic hardship across the length and breadth of the country.
The Tinubu administration promised to continue from where President Muhammadu Buhari stopped, and, unfortunately, it appears to have fulfilled that promise in one significant respect: life remains increasingly unbearable for the average Nigerian.
These three consecutive administrations have become particularly significant in Nigeria's history because they have subjected the masses to unprecedented economic hardship, with ordinary Nigerians bearing the consequences of the political choices made at the ballot box.
It is surprising that some people seem to have forgotten what things used to cost during the Atiku/Obasanjo era. A bag of rice, for instance, was reportedly around ₦2,000, while imported rice could be purchased for about ₦6,000 per bag. How much does a bag of rice cost today? In many places, it is more than ₦60,000.
This dramatic rise in the cost of living tells us just how severely the purchasing power of the Nigerian people has been eroded. What ₦1,000 could achieve during the Atiku/Obasanjo era may require many times that amount today.
The level of hardship experienced by Nigerians under these three consecutive administrations is difficult to ignore. What is even more troubling is the perception that the Tinubu administration has paid insufficient attention to the everyday struggles of citizens, particularly until elections draw closer.
For years, Nigerians have cried out for relief from the rising cost of transportation and other basic necessities. Yet, these concerns often appear to receive serious attention only when political pressure begins to mount.
Now that Atiku Abubakar has declared that, if elected, he would restore the fuel subsidy, the Federal Government is reportedly considering measures aimed at reducing transportation fares, including efforts to bring down petrol prices.
This raises a fundamental question: Why is the Federal Government considering measures that could reduce the burden on Nigerians only after years of public outcry?
Nigerians deserve leadership that listens to them before elections—not leadership that remembers their suffering only when another election is approaching.
I therefore want to use this opportunity to urge Nigerians to take a closer look at the direction of the Tinubu administration and the consequences of its policies on ordinary citizens.
Perhaps it is time to give Atiku Abubakar a chance.
Let us try him. If he fails to deliver, Nigerians will still have the constitutional power to vote him out at the next election.
Democracy is about giving citizens the opportunity to choose, assess, and replace their leaders. The Nigerian people deserve the chance to breathe again.
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