Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria's former vice president, held a world press conference on Friday where he urged President Bola Tinubu to ease the economic burden on Nigerians and to distribute bags of rice, according to BBC reporting.
Atiku also cautioned the president against a planned removal of electricity subsidy in 2027, saying Nigerians cannot absorb further hardship, Sahara Reporters reported. Premium Times Nigeria reported that Atiku offered to assist Tinubu with policy ideas aimed at reducing the difficulties citizens face.
The remarks drew a response from the presidency's side. Vanguard News reported that Tinubu's spokesman, Morka, said Atiku has not presented a sensible alternative to the current administration.
The press conference comes amid wider debate over Nigeria's energy policy. The Nation Newspaper examined whether the country can subsidise its way out of its energy crisis, a question that sits at the centre of the subsidy dispute.
Atiku's comments place him directly in the ongoing national conversation about the cost of living and government spending, ahead of the next election cycle.
What to watch next: whether the Tinubu administration responds formally to Atiku's call and whether any decision is announced on the electricity subsidy.