“You Said Endure Pain Because You’re Curing Disease, But When Patient Cries, Doctor Listens” — Atiku Fires Tinubu Over Cancer Analogy

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu over his description of Nigeria as a cancer patient, questioning why the country remains burdened by hardship after three years of his administration.

Atiku raised the question on Thursday during a world press conference in Abuja, hours after Tinubu used the cancer-treatment analogy in his Independence Day address to explain the economic reforms introduced since 2023.

Tinubu had said Nigeria was like a sick patient diagnosed with cancer and argued that the country had to endure difficult and painful treatment to achieve recovery. He described his administration’s reforms as an effort to address longstanding economic problems.

Responding to the analogy, Atiku questioned why Nigerians were still struggling to afford basic necessities if the treatment was producing intended results.

“Bola, you called Nigeria a patient with cancer. After three years of your treatment, why is it harder for Nigerians to buy food, pay for medicine, or even get to work?” Atiku asked.

He also questioned why government revenue could increase while ordinary Nigerians were finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic needs.

Atiku said a patient undergoing treatment should be listened to when complaining about pain, arguing that Nigerians should not be dismissed for asking when their economic difficulties would ease.

“You said Nigerians must endure the pain because you are curing the disease, but when a patient cries out, a doctor listens,” he said.

The ADC candidate further argued that worsening living conditions should not automatically be presented as evidence that an economic treatment is working.

He also challenged Tinubu】 to account for the role of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in governing Nigeria before the current administration.

“You cannot speak as though you arrived from the moon in 2023,” Atiku said, noting that the APC had governed the country for several years before Tinubu became President.

He urged the President to assess the situation by visiting places where Nigerians make their daily choices and experience the effects of economic policies firsthand.

Atiku’s remark came as both political camps offered sharply different assessments of Nigeria’s condition on the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

While Tinubu said his reforms had improved the economic outlook and pointed to growth, lower inflation and other indicators, opposition figures including Atiku have continued to criticise the impact of the policies on Nigerians.