The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies, insisted that the administration is neither over-borrowing nor excessively taxing Nigerians, while arguing that recent food inflation figures have been misrepresented.
The group was reacting to a statement by the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, who claimed that Nigeria could not “borrow, import and tax its way to prosperity,” accusing the Federal Government of relying on excessive borrowing, importation and taxation.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG described Atiku’s claims as misleading and unsupported by credible economic data.
According to the group, the former Vice President based his criticism on the latest inflation figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), while ignoring key indicators that showed an overall improvement in inflation.
TMSG noted that although there was a slight increase in food inflation in June 2026, the year-on-year figure of 17.52 per cent represented a significant decline from the 25.41 per cent recorded in June 2025.
The group argued that Atiku deliberately overlooked the positive impact of the Federal Government’s temporary waivers on selected food imports, which it said helped reduce food inflation nationally. It also accused him of selectively highlighting high food inflation in Kogi State while ignoring comparatively lower rates recorded in states such as Katsina, Rivers and Imo.
It further attributed the recent rise in food prices to the effects of the Middle East conflict, which it said triggered higher fuel and transportation costs, rather than government policies.
According to TMSG, inflation had been on a steady downward trend from the last quarter of 2025 until March 2026, when the geopolitical crisis disrupted global energy markets.
The group also rejected Atiku’s allegation that the Tinubu administration was over-taxing Nigerians, describing the claim as “flawed, egregious and blatantly misleading.”
It maintained that the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) introduced by the administration provides substantial tax reliefs for small businesses and low-income earners.
According to the statement, eligible small businesses now enjoy zero per cent Companies Income Tax, zero per cent Capital Gains Tax and exemption from the four per cent Development Levy, while mandatory withholding tax deductions on qualifying transactions have also been removed.
It added that individuals earning up to ₦1.2 million annually are now exempt from personal income tax.
TMSG questioned the basis of Atiku’s assertion that Nigeria was taxing its way to prosperity, insisting that Nigerians currently enjoy more tax reliefs than at any period in recent history.
The group urged Nigerians to view the former Vice President’s comments as politically motivated rather than a genuine assessment of the country’s economic realities.
