What will you do about the minimum wage, job creation, and corruption in public recruitment?
On the minimum wage, I have pointed out that while government says the figure has more than doubled to ₦70,000, its real value has actually fallen. In 2019, ₦30,000 was worth about $83. By May 2023 that same ₦30,000 was worth about $65. Today, that ₦70,000 is worth only about $53 at current exchange rates. The number on the payslip is bigger, but the value in your pocket is smaller, which means a worker can earn more naira and still afford less food, transport, electricity, medicine and housing than before. My argument has been the opposite of taking wages away: I want to reduce the cost of energy, transport and moving food so that whatever workers earn buys more, and so families have more left after food, rent and transportation.
On jobs, I have said Nigeria cannot secure its future without deliberately investing in its young people, expanding opportunities for them, and enabling them to pursue legitimate and productive livelihoods.
On corruption in public life more broadly, I have said that no one will be shielded from accountability for wrongdoing, no matter how close to power they are. Anti-corruption must not become a political weapon used selectively against some while others are shielded. Justice must be transparent, accountability even-handed, and the rule of law must apply to all, without fear, without favour, and without political bias. Concretely, I am determined to reform executive immunity so it protects governance, not corruption: limiting immunity strictly to official duties, excluding offences like embezzlement, contract fraud and illicit enrichment from its protection, allowing investigations to continue while officials remain in office, removing statutes of limitation for corruption offences involving public office holders, and establishing special fast-track courts so serious cases involving top public officials are handled quickly, without unnecessary delays or political interference.
Where this comes from
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/1944333334554771700 2025-07-13 ›
When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hastily and thoughtlessly removed fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration, he triggered an economic avalanche that has since buried the average Nigerian under the weight of inflation, hunger, and despair.
In a bid to manage the self-inflicted crisis, the administration promised to pay a wage award to federal civil servants as a temporary cushion pending the conclusion of negotiations on a new national minimum wage. That promise, like many others under this government, has become a broken covenant.
It took the Tinubu administration a staggering 10 months to arrive at a new minimum wage figure. By implication, the Federal Government owes 10 months of wage award arrears to federal workers. Yet, only six months have been paid and that too after a series of unfulfilled assurances and avoidable delays. As of today, the Federal Government owes four months of wage awards, amounting to ₦35,000 monthly, a total of ₦140,000 per worker.
Post on X Post by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2026260482064040397 2026-02-24 ›
More troubling, however, is the growing perception of selective prosecution, in which opposition figures are aggressively pursued while others are conspicuously shielded from investigation or interrogation. Anti-corruption must not become a political weapon.
The continued detention of El-Rufai under unclear circumstances raises serious questions about motive. Anti-corruption cannot be credible when it appears partisan, coercive, or strategically timed.
Justice must be transparent. Accountability must be even-handed. And the rule of law must apply to all; without fear, without favour, and without political bias. -AA
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2087552029358956958 2026-08-12 ›
Nigeria cannot continue asking competent young people to wait outside the room while their future is being decided inside it.
MY COVENANT WITH YOU
Our partnership must also mean something practical in the lives of young Nigerians.
It begins with jobs and enterprise. Nigeria has millions of young people with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot access the capital required to turn those ideas into businesses.
We will expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people working in the creative economy. Your surname, political connection or ability to find a godfather should not determine whether a good idea receives an opportunity to succeed.
Education must also change. We cannot continue educating young Nigerians for an economy that no longer exists. Our schools must place greater emphasis on science, technology, vocational education, agriculture, digital skills, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. And no brilliant Nigerian child should be denied tertiary education simply because his or her parents are poor.
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2094810791937446399 2026-09-01 ›
Atiku’s argument is precisely the opposite. Reduce the cost of energy so that salaries buy more. Reduce transport costs so that less of a worker’s wage disappears merely getting to work. Reduce the cost of moving food so families spend less in the market. Reduce the cost of living so students spend less on upkeep and parents have more money left after food, rent and transportation.
You cannot make life painfully expensive, push students towards debt to survive the consequences, and then frighten those same students that cheaper fuel will take their loans away. Nor can you tell workers that a policy designed to restore value to their wages will somehow take those wages from them. That is not economic reform. It is scarecrow propaganda built on witchcraft economics.
And while you celebrate statistics, Nigerians still deserve answers about the enormous sums surrounding your so-called reforms. Your government says subsidy removal mobilised about ₦15.8 trillion between June 2023 and December 2025. Nigerians surrendered cheap fuel. They paid more for transportation. They paid more for food. They watched the value of their wages collapse. So what measurable improvement reached the average Nigerian household in exchange for that sacrifice?
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2097745799593841116 2026-09-09 ›
In 2019, FAAC distribution was approximately ₦7.85 trillion, worth about $25.6 billion at the prevailing exchange rate. By 2025, FAAC had risen on paper to approximately ₦21.9 trillion, yet its dollar value had fallen to roughly $14.6 billion. So while government parades almost three times as many naira, the underlying dollar value is more than 40 per cent lower. “That is not an economic miracle. That is money illusion. You cannot batter the currency, allow inflation to ravage purchasing power and then wave bigger naira figures before Nigerians as evidence that the country has become richer. Bigger numbers do not cancel smaller value.”
Atiku said the deception becomes even clearer when translated into the everyday experience of the Nigerian worker, where salaries may have increased nominally while their real value and purchasing power have deteriorated.
Article on X Article by @atiku on X · https://x.com/atiku/status/2097745799593841116 2026-09-09 ›
“Take the minimum wage as the simplest example. In 2019, ₦30,000 was worth roughly $83. By May 2023, that same ₦30,000 was worth about $65. Today, government boasts that the minimum wage has more than doubled to ₦70,000, yet at an exchange rate of around ₦1,320 to the dollar, that ₦70,000 is worth only about $53. Think about that: the number written on the worker’s payslip has risen from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, but its dollar value has fallen from about $83 to about $53. “That is Tinubu’s money illusion in its simplest form. The figure in your hand is bigger, but the value in your pocket is smaller. A worker can earn more naira today and still afford less food, less transport, less electricity, less medicine and less housing than before.
p. 23 2.1. ANTI-CORRUPTION (UNDER GOVERNANCE) Party Manifesto 2027-2031 2026-10-05 ›
The ADC will:
1. Reform executive immunity to protect governance, not corruption. Public officials will be able to carry out their duties without unnecessary distraction, but no one will be shielded from accountability for wrongdoing.
Details:
● Amend existing laws to clearly define the limits of executive immunity, ensuring it cannot be used to block accountability processes ● Limit immunity strictly to official duties. ● Exclude offences such as embezzlement, contract fraud, and illicit enrichment from the scope of immunity protections ● Allow investigations to continue while officials are in office. Empower anti-corruption agencies to conduct full investigations, including evidence collection and asset tracing, while officials remain in office. ● Remove statutes of limitation for corruption-related offences involving public office holders ● Establish special fast-track courts for cases involving top public officials. Serious cases will be handled quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary delays or political interference.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-10 ›
My plan for you, Nigeria's young people, starts with this: you should not be asked to wait outside the room while your future is being decided inside it.
It begins with jobs and enterprise. I know Nigeria has millions of young people with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot get the capital to turn those ideas into businesses. I am determined to expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people working in the creative economy. Your surname, your political connections, or whether you can find a godfather, should not decide whether your idea gets a chance to succeed.
As part of this, we will put in place a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, so that young Nigerians can move from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-10 ›
I have said that no one will be shielded from accountability for wrongdoing, no matter how close to power they are. Anti-corruption must not become a political weapon used selectively against some while others are shielded, justice must be transparent, accountability even-handed, and the rule of law must apply to all, without fear, without favour, and without political bias.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-16 ›
On jobs, skills and enterprise, I see millions of young Nigerians with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot access the capital to turn those ideas into businesses. I am committed to expanding transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people in the creative economy, so that your surname, political connection or ability to find a godfather does not determine whether your idea gets a chance to succeed. This includes a major financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs. Our objective is to move young Nigerians from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity, and from palliatives to prosperity.
On education, I want to change how we prepare young Nigerians for work. Our schools must place greater emphasis on science, technology, vocational education, agriculture, digital skills, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. No brilliant Nigerian child should be denied university, polytechnic or college education simply because his or her parents are poor. I see young Nigerians as the greatest national asset Nigeria has ever produced, innovators, farmers, engineers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and artisans, and I believe no President can rebuild Nigeria without their active participation.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
Thank you for asking me this directly. Let me tell you what I plan to do.
I will reform executive immunity, so that it protects governance, not corruption. Public officials will be able to carry out their duties without unnecessary distraction, but no one will be shielded from accountability for wrongdoing. To make this real:
- I will amend existing laws to clearly define the limits of executive immunity, so it cannot be used to block accountability processes. - Immunity will be limited strictly to official duties. - Offences such as embezzlement, contract fraud, and illicit enrichment will be excluded from immunity protections altogether. - Investigations will be allowed to continue while officials are in office. Anti-corruption agencies will be empowered to conduct full investigations, including evidence collection and asset tracing, while officials remain in their posts. - I will remove statutes of limitation for corruption-related offences involving public office holders, so time will never run out on these cases. - I will establish special fast-track courts for cases involving top public officials, so serious cases are handled quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary delays or political interference.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
Yes, job creation is central to what I have set out for you.
My policy focuses on private-sector-led growth, targeting up to 3 million jobs annually for graduates and young Nigerians.
I also proposed a $10 billion economic stimulus programme, using the savings from subsidy removal, designed to create millions of jobs across agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and infrastructure. That plan was meant to lift millions out of poverty, give targeted support to the most vulnerable, and ignite the kind of economic activity that grows the tax base organically, so that the pain of subsidy removal gave way to renewal of opportunity and employment.
On the digital economy, I am determined to prepare you for the jobs of the future by investing in digital skills, innovation, and technology-driven education. This means supporting tech hubs and innovation centres across the country, building digital skills, coding, and technology training into education systems, training in fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science, and partnering with private companies and global technology firms to expand access to training and employment.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On the federal job age limit for graduates, I don't have a specific commitment to raise it from 35 to 40 to share with you. What I can tell you is what I'm determined to do for young people looking for real opportunities. My administration will overhaul Technical and Vocational Education and Training curricula, working with industry leaders so that what graduates and polytechnic students learn actually matches what the job market needs. We will establish modern vocational training hubs across all geopolitical zones, launch dual-apprenticeship programmes, and standardize national skill certifications, so you are prepared for actual jobs, not just certificates.
I am also committed to reducing the tax burden on small businesses that create jobs. We will reward businesses that employ Nigerians by lowering their tax burden and creating incentives for job creation and growth. This is how we will encourage more employers to open their doors to you and others seeking work.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On graduate unemployment and youth opportunity, I believe in the Nigerian youth, your intelligence, your creativity, and your resilience. This election is about restoring hope, rebuilding confidence, and creating opportunities, so that no young Nigerian feels compelled to abandon the country of his birth in search of dignity elsewhere. Young Nigerians do not need a government that teaches them how to survive hardship. They need a government that gives them the opportunity to prosper. On NYSC, I will prioritize NYSC graduates in recruitment for critical public service roles, including the police, military, and other government institutions, where applicable, and deploy corps members to communities and sectors where their skills are most needed, particularly in education, healthcare, agriculture, and public service delivery.
On your second question, about NYSC allowance and minimum wage: I have not set out a figure for raising the NYSC allowance or the minimum wage. What I have said is that I will make participation in NYSC voluntary, allowing young Nigerians to choose pathways that align with their goals and national priorities, with an annual cap on participation to ensure quality and proper deployment.
p. 1 CANDIDATE-APPROVED ANSWER Candidate-approved answer 2026-10-17 ›
On jobs for graduates, I know too many young Nigerians are searching endlessly for work, and that cannot continue. My plan starts with this: you should not be asked to wait outside the room while your future is being decided inside it.
It begins with jobs and enterprise. Nigeria has millions of young people with ideas, energy and ambition, but too many cannot get the capital to turn those ideas into businesses. I am determined to expand transparent access to finance for young entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, technology founders and people working in the creative economy. Your surname, your political connections, or whether you can find a godfather, should not decide whether your idea gets a chance to succeed.
As part of this, we will put in place a financing programme for start-ups and entrepreneurs, so that young Nigerians can move from dependence to enterprise, from unemployment to productivity.