Pockets on Life Support, Take Us Back to the Era of Fake Smiles – Atiku’s Aide Slams Tinubu

Atiku Abubakar’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent statement about the state of the Nigerian economy. Shaibu has called on the president to take Nigerians back to what he described as the era of “fake smiles” before Tinubu’s administration took office.

In response to Tinubu’s comments made during the combined convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, Shaibu expressed his dissatisfaction with the current economic conditions. Tinubu had claimed that the lifestyle Nigerians believed they were enjoying prior to his administration was “fake” and unsustainable, adding that the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of exchange rates were essential to prevent the country from collapsing.

Shaibu, however, argued that the situation now is far from better. He pointed out that Nigerians are struggling financially, with many facing dire economic challenges. “If the good life before subsidy removal was fake, then this ‘real’ life must be the plot of a very bad Nollywood drama,” he posted on X. “Can we at least get a refund on the script, or take us back to living in the ‘fake’ world—at least we could afford to fake smiles back then. Now, we’re stuck frowning in this ‘authentic’ struggle where our pockets are on life support.”