Buhari has created largest wave of poverty in human history — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of creating the largest wave of poverty in human history since he assumed power four years ago.

Atiku disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide on Saturday, Paul Ibe in reaction to Friday’s UNDP report which established that over 98 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty.

According to the Peoples’ Democratic Party presidential candidate in the last general elections, the greatest national security threat Nigeria faces in 2019 is not Boko Haram/ISWAP or bandits, but the rising rate of people living in abject poverty.

He said with Nigerians now living in multidimensional poverty, it is a frightening corroboration that poverty has become the fastest growing venture in Nigeria over the last four years.

“There is an urgent and compelling need for institutions of the Nigerian state to understand that it is an appalling dereliction of duty to stand idly by and allow misery multiply in the populace.

“This is no longer a grassroots problem. The failure of our economy over the last four years affects everyone from top to bottom. Four years ago, Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s richest man, was worth $25 billion. However, his net worth in 2019 is less than half that. He joins thousands of industrialists whose wealth and their ability to produce, has eroded in recent years, and continue to do so.

“And in the wake of this report by the UNDP, we are greeted with nonchalance by those who led us into this crisis. It is as though they think that as long as they and their families are not amongst those 98 million extremely poor Nigerians, things can carry on as before.

He said those who have the ability, including the Council of State, all former leaders, elder-statesmen, and especially the other arms of government, must begin to collaborate for solutions, before the number increases from 98 million, to all 198 million Nigerians.

“We must remember that we are stakeholders in the Nigerian project. Stakeholders who must speak up for those 98 million people who are losing their voices to poverty,” he added.