Nigerians want to know how you'll address problems, not assurances - Atiku's aide to Tinubu

Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his comment that he is a “comfortable man” who does not understand the pain Nigerians experience in the market.

Ibe made the criticism in a post shared on his X handle following Tinubu’s remarks at the All Progressives Congress, APC, rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday.

At the rally, Tinubu said, “I’m a comfortable man. I don’t know the pain of the market.”

Reacting, Ibe likened the President to a pilot navigating an aircraft through turbulence, arguing that Nigerians needed to hear how the government intended to address the country’s economic challenges rather than assurances.

He wrote, “When a plane hits turbulence, passengers don’t need to hear how comfortable the pilot is. They need to know what he’s doing to get them safely to the ground. Now imagine that President Bola Tinubu is that pilot.”

Ibe said Nigerians, particularly market women struggling with rising prices, needed concrete measures to ease the cost of living and an indication of when they would begin to feel the impact.

He added that leadership under pressure required clear communication about the steps being taken to address the country’s challenges.

Ibe further referenced videos of Tinubu at political events in Uyo and Port Harcourt, making comments about the President’s movements and speech during the outings.

He concluded with a warning that the Nigerian economy could face further difficulties, writing that Tinubu and the plane would crash.