He said between 2015 and 2020, the number of Nigerians who are gainfully employed by dropped by 54 percent from 68 million to 31 million.
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has accused the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress of plunging Nigerians into poverty since they took over in 2015.
According to Atiku, Nigerians have become poorer and miserable than they were before President Muhammadu Buhari came to power.
Atiku who said this at the Nigeria Economic Summit Group Presidential Dialogue on the Economy, at the Summit House, Ikoyi, Lagos enjoined Nigerians to join him in kicking the party out in the 2023 general elections.
He said between 2015 and 2020, the number of Nigerians who are gainfully employed by dropped by 54 percent from 68 million to 31 million.
"Under the current administration our people are not working. More than 23 million people are out of jobs. In just 5 years between 2015 and 2020, the number of fully employed people dropped by 54%, from 68 million to 31 million people. This is frightening in a country of 200 million people".
"And the majority of the unemployed are young men and women, who lack not only the means to survive but any hope for the future. The number of unemployed youths increased by 9 million from 4 million in 2015 to 13 million in 2020".
"High youth unemployment and limited employment opportunities pose serious economic and security challenges. It is, therefore, an urgent matter to ensure that there are enough jobs for Nigeria’s youth".
"More Nigerians are poorer and more miserable today than in 2015".
"Basic commodities are now beyond the reach of the average Nigerian. A price of a loaf of bread has risen by more 100% since 2020. Farmers now pay more than 200% more for a bag of fertilizer - if they see it - than they did in 2020".