If You Become President In 2027, You’ll Borrow, Do Not Tell Nigerians That You’ll Not Borrow–Bako

Kano-based political analyst Abbati Bako has advised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to shift his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s borrowing strategy towards how the borrowed funds are being managed and utilised.

In a report published by Daily Post on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Bako argued that the major concern surrounding Nigeria’s rising public debt should not be the volume of loans obtained by the Federal Government alone, but whether the money is being invested in projects that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.

The political commentator expressed this position in an open letter to Atiku, where he responded to the former vice-president’s concerns about the country’s increasing debt burden.

Bako explained that borrowing is not necessarily harmful to an economy, particularly when the funds are channelled into productive ventures such as infrastructure development, economic expansion and other projects that contribute to national growth.

To support his argument, he cited countries such as the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, noting that these developed economies have continued to use public borrowing as a means of financing government activities and development programmes.

According to him, the experiences of these nations show that borrowing can be an effective economic strategy when there are proper safeguards to ensure that funds are spent responsibly and generate worthwhile returns.

He therefore maintained that Nigeria’s public debt discussion should place greater emphasis on transparency, accountability and prudent financial management instead of portraying every government loan as evidence of economic mismanagement.

Bako urged Atiku to scrutinise how the Tinubu administration distributes borrowed funds and determine whether the projects being financed are sufficient to justify the repayment obligations being imposed on the country.

He also called on the former vice-president to present a clear explanation of how he intends to handle public borrowing if he emerges as president in the 2027 general election.

Bako stressed that Nigerians need more than criticism from opposition figures. According to him, political leaders seeking public office should provide practical alternatives for financing infrastructure, improving public services and addressing other national development needs without exposing the economy to excessive financial pressure.

In his letter, he highlighted several measures that could improve Nigeria’s borrowing practices. These include giving priority to concessional loans with lower interest rates and more favourable repayment terms, exploring naira-denominated borrowing to fund local projects and ensuring that detailed information about loan-funded initiatives is made accessible to the public.

He argued that adopting these measures would strengthen public oversight, minimise financial risks and allow citizens to determine whether borrowed funds are being used for their intended purposes.

The commentator further cautioned Atiku against making a blanket promise to eliminate government borrowing if elected president. Instead, he urged him to explain how his administration would introduce a more accountable, transparent and economically beneficial approach to securing loans.

Bako summarised his message by challenging the former vice-president to offer Nigerians a realistic borrowing policy rather than promising to avoid loans altogether.

“If you become President in 2027, you will also borrow. Do not tell Nigerians that you will not borrow. Tell them how you will borrow differently,” he advised.

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