Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has again tackled President Bola Tinubu over his “renewed hope” economic plans.

Atiku, the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 presidential election, noted that the renewed hope agenda ironically dashes hopes, creating pain and causing despair.

He also said the policies were shrinking small businesses and causing multinational companies to exit the country in droves.

In a statement on Sunday, he noted that President Tinubu, with the economic hardship, had shown he could not address the country's various challenges.

He said Nigerians are gravely concerned and that the president’s poor response to Nigeria’s economic challenges sets the stage for a prolonged and deeper domestic economic crisis.

Atiku said the private sector is shrinking by the day as small businesses are emasculated and multinational companies, confused and weary of the economy, leave Nigeria in droves.

However, in a swift reaction, the Presidency, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said Atiku is doing a poor job in criticising Tinubu by offering pedestrian and uninformed interventions on the economy and other matters of public concerns.

According to Onanuga, Atiku is increasingly carving for himself the role of opposition-in-chief to President Tinubu and his government.

Callers on our breakfast talk show, The Big Story, reacted to the issue.