The Presidency has dismissed recent comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his camp, describing their statements as misleading and disconnected from Nigeria’s current realities.

In a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency faulted Atiku’s claim that hunger was ravaging Nigeria and his comparison of the situation to the unrest in France before the 1789 Revolution and the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.

According to Onanuga, the claims are not only exaggerated but also fail to reflect the authentic Nigerian reality, as recent economic data presents a more positive outlook.

He pointed out that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a decline in headline inflation for the fifth consecutive month in August, while also announcing a record trade surplus over the weekend. Notably, non-oil exports now contribute nearly as much as crude oil to the trade balance, with a ratio of 48:52 per cent.

The statement further revealed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves are rising and currently approaching $42 billion up from $32 billion when President Bola Tinubu assumed office. It added that the administration has cleared over $7 billion in arrears, including $800 million owed to international airlines.

“Under President Tinubu, Nigeria is recording unprecedented revenues. States are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly, with surplus funds for capital and social projects and achievement not witnessed at this scale before,” the statement read.

The Presidency also noted that many of the country’s current challenges stem from economic mismanagement during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) years, when Atiku served as Vice President. It stressed that President Tinubu’s administration is implementing bold reforms to correct those past errors.

“After just two years and five months in office, we are proud of the progress being made under President Tinubu’s leadership. Atiku and his allies may choose to ignore these gains, but Nigerians can see and feel the positive changes taking place across the nation,” the statement concluded