Tinubu, Atiku economic policies almost same — Reno Omokri

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are “almost like Siamese twins” in their economic policies, citing their shared support for free-market reforms.

Omokri made the declaration during an interview on the City Boy Movement podcast, where he discussed his political journey, his former relationship with Atiku and his decision to support the Tinubu administration.

He said Atiku’s 2023 presidential campaign programme had proposed the removal of fuel subsidy, floating of the naira, devolution of powers to states and local governments, and the introduction of student loans.

“We said we were going to do four things: we were going to remove subsidy, we were going to float the naira, we were going to devolve powers to the states and local governments, and we were going to introduce student loans,” Omokri recalled.

According to him, the Tinubu administration had implemented the same policies, making their economic positions difficult to distinguish.

“What is the President doing now? Those things. On a policy level, you are Siamese twins,” he said.

Omokri, who previously worked with Atiku, said his assessment of the former vice president’s economic philosophy was based on years of direct association with him.

“There is nobody with Waziri Atiku Abubakar who understands his economic policy better than me,” he said.

He disclosed that he was involved in preparing Atiku’s speech at Chatham House and had closely followed the economic policies proposed by the former vice president during the 2023 presidential election.

The former presidential aide said political sentiments often prevented Nigerians from recognising similarities between politicians.

He urged Nigerians to assess economic policies based on their substance and impact rather than political affiliation.

Omokri, however, said he would not support any attempt by Atiku to reverse the removal of fuel subsidy.

He argued that the subsidy had imposed a huge financial burden on the country and created opportunities for diversion.

He also questioned proposals to provide subsidised crude oil to local refineries, warning that such an arrangement could recreate some of the problems associated with the former subsidy regime if not properly managed.

Omokri said Atiku’s long-standing support for free-market principles made it necessary to establish whether the former vice president had changed his position on some of the reforms he previously advocated.

He warned that economic reforms should not be dictated by election-season politics, arguing that politicians could become more populist as elections approached.

“Right now, we have an election coming, and because we have an election coming, it is necessary to be populist,” he said.

Omokri urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of economic proposals rather than political sentiments.

He maintained that the similarities between Tinubu and Atiku’s economic policies were significant and that both politicians should ultimately be judged by the practical consequences of their policies on the economy and citizens.