Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has paid a courtesy visit to the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills Jr., at the American Embassy in Abuja.

Atiku, who disclosed the meeting on his social media handle, said the discussions focused on deepening Nigeria–US relations in the areas of democracy, security, and shared prosperity.

 “This afternoon, I had the honor of leading a delegation on a courtesy visit to the United States Ambassador, Richard M. Mills Jr., in Abuja. Our discussion focused on strengthening the enduring partnership between Nigeria and the United States, particularly in the areas of advancing democracy, security, and promoting shared prosperity,” he wrote.

The visit comes amid Atiku’s renewed criticism of the Bola Tinubu administration over worsening hunger, poverty, and insecurity in the country.

In a statement issued through his media office, the former Vice President argued that the living conditions of Nigerians have continued to deteriorate despite government claims of reform. He warned that unchecked deprivation could fuel unrest, drawing parallels with global upheavals such as the French and Russian revolutions, the Arab Spring, and Nigeria’s EndSARS protests.

 “The masses of Nigerians are progressively wallowing in misery and poverty under the watch of the Tinubu-led APC administration,” Atiku said, adding that two years into the administration, there were still “no manifest signs” of capacity to tackle hunger and poverty.

He stressed that reforms must place citizens’ welfare at the center of governance.

“Whatever reform the Tinubu government might claim to be undertaking, the point remains that food insecurity is a daily occurrence nationwide,” he stated.

Since assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu has implemented a raft of economic measures, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of Nigeria’s exchange rate, both of which have sparked public debate over their impact on livelihoods.