At North-West Flag-Off, Tinubu Blames Atiku, Obi for Economic Hardship

***President Presents Flags to Seven Gov Candidates as Race for 2027 Begins

***ADC Taunts APC: Your Rally Exposed Hunger, Not Strength

By Okechukwu Eze, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has blamed opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi for the economic hardship in the country, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) officially flagged off its campaign for the North West and presented flags to seven governorship candidates.

Speaking at the flag-off rally held in Kaduna yesterday, Tinubu said the economic reforms of his administration, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange unification, became necessary due to what he described as years of mismanagement by previous administrations, in which Atiku and Obi played key roles.

“They are the architects of the hardship Nigerians are facing today. They had the opportunity to fix Nigeria and they failed. Now they want to come back to lecture us on how to govern,” Tinubu told the cheering crowd.

The President maintained that his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was already yielding results, citing improved foreign reserves, increased crude oil production and renewed investor confidence.

At the event, the APC National Chairman presented party flags to the seven governorship candidates from the North West zone — Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna — charging them to go back and deliver their states for the party in 2027.

In a swift reaction, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) mocked the APC over the rally, alleging that the event was marred by empty seats and rented crowds.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, the ADC said Nigerians were no longer moved by political jamborees, noting that hunger in the land could not be cured by flag-offs.

“Instead of addressing the rising cost of living, insecurity and naira depreciation, the APC is busy staging rallies with hired crowds. The empty seats in Kaduna today speak louder than their speeches,” the ADC stated.

Meanwhile, supporters of Atiku and Obi have also dismissed Tinubu’s blame game, insisting that the present administration should take full responsibility for its policies rather than blame the opposition.