Shaibu made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, where he criticised the President’s handling of the economy and rejected Tinubu’s claim that opposition parties were responsible for the hunger and hardship experienced by Nigerians.
The ADC campaign official argued that the Federal Government should accept responsibility for the country’s economic challenges rather than blame political opponents for the rising cost of living.
“He has lost touch with reality. Bola is not aware of his environment. He is not aware of what Nigerians are going through. He’s not even aware that he’s president,” Shaibu said.
He recalled watching Tinubu speak about hunger and the opposition, adding that even his eight-year-old son questioned the President’s remarks.
“I watched him yesterday and my eight-year-old son who was beside me said, what’s this man talking about? He has been in office for three and a half years. And he’s talking about hunger being created by the opposition. I think it is delusional,” he said.
Shaibu’s comments followed Tinubu’s criticism of the opposition over the country’s economic difficulties, a position the ADC campaign director described as an attempt to shift responsibility away from the current administration.
Shaibu Faults Tinubu’s Economic Record
The ADC spokesperson maintained that Tinubu should be assessed based on the economic conditions Nigerians have experienced since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.
According to Shaibu, even if the President inherited economic difficulties from the previous administration, his responsibility was to improve the situation rather than allow the hardship to deepen.
“Now, what we are asking, what Atiku Abubakar is asking, what Nigerians are asking, if what Bola Tinubu met on the 29th of May 2023 was hunger… the least he could have done was to leave us at the state he met us in 2023, where a litre of fuel was 167 Naira,” he said.
He alleged that the economic situation had deteriorated significantly under Tinubu, describing the increase in hardship as a consequence of the administration’s policies.
“But Tinubu has raised that hunger from where he met it in 2023 to an ontological level, an irredeemable level, a reckless level. What he’s talking about is a manifestation of tendentious wickedness, deliberate wickedness,” Shaibu added.
The campaign director’s remarks reflected the ADC’s criticism of the administration’s economic management. However, his statements represent the opposition’s assessment of the situation rather than an independent evaluation of the government’s overall economic performance.
Opposition Questions Continued Blame on Previous Government
Shaibu also challenged Tinubu’s continued references to the opposition, arguing that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had already governed Nigeria for eight years before the current administration took over.
He noted that former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in 2025, governed the country from 2015 to 2023 under the APC before handing over to Tinubu.
According to Shaibu, the ruling party should therefore take responsibility for its record and focus on addressing the problems confronting Nigerians instead of attributing the country’s economic challenges to opposition parties.
“And it is, in fact, it amounts to shamelessness on his part. For him to sit down after three and a half years and begin to talk about, they’re still talking about opposition. Opposition, when he was leader of the party for eight years, party rules, President Muhammadu Buhari, may he rest in peace, ran this country and handed over to him in May 2023,” he said.
The ADC official argued that Nigerians expected the President to provide solutions to their economic difficulties, regardless of the circumstances inherited by his administration.
Petrol Subsidy Removal Under Fire
Shaibu further criticised Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, arguing that the policy had contributed to the increase in transportation costs, food prices and other essential expenses.
Tinubu announced the removal of the subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023. The decision was followed by a sharp increase in petrol prices, with the effects extending to transportation and the cost of goods and services.
According to Shaibu, the resulting pressure on household incomes has made it increasingly difficult for many Nigerians to afford basic necessities.
“So, Bola Tinubu claimed the podium, and announced that subsidy was gone. And boom, what happened? Everything rose astronomically. The Nigerians cannot afford three square meals today,” he said.
The ADC campaign director argued that the administration should address the consequences of its economic policies instead of attributing public dissatisfaction to political opponents.
Rising Education Costs Also Criticised
Shaibu also expressed concern about the effect of economic hardship on access to education, alleging that increased university fees had placed additional pressure on students and their families.
He questioned the need for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), established to provide loans to eligible students, arguing that the scheme had emerged amid rising education costs.
“Children are dropping out of schools. He established NELFUND to give students loans. That is after school fees in various universities have been increased by over 400 percent,” he said.
His comments highlighted concerns over the affordability of higher education and the financial difficulties facing students from low-income households.
NELFUND provides financial support through its student loan programme, while the cost of tuition and other university charges varies across institutions.
Shaibu maintained that the government needed to pay greater attention to the impact of economic reforms on ordinary citizens, particularly low-income families struggling to meet the costs of food, transportation and education.
ADC Official Calls for Accountability
Concluding his criticism, Shaibu argued that Tinubu’s explanation of the hunger crisis raised questions about whether the administration fully understood the experiences of Nigerians.
He said the President should demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing hardship rather than blaming the opposition for problems that have persisted during his tenure.
“But if we allow Bola, if he feels, if at this stage, after three and a half years, Bola feels that, look, I’m here to eradicate the hunger created by the opposition, then what he did yesterday in Kaduna was just a confession to the Nigerian people that, look, I’m not ready to be president. I can’t continue in office anymore,” he said.
The Presidency’s response to Shaibu’s latest remarks was not included in the information available.
The exchange underscores the growing political disagreement over the causes of Nigeria’s economic difficulties and the responsibility of the Federal Government to address rising living costs as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.
