The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, branding them as failed politicians whose recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu are driven by personal ambition and self-interest.
In a statement released Monday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, defended President Tinubu’s leadership, asserting that his economic reforms have sparked unprecedented transformation in Nigeria. Morka highlighted that key reforms, including the realistic pricing of the naira and fuel, are gradually transitioning the economy from consumption-driven to production-based.
Over the weekend, Atiku, Amaechi, and El-Rufai accused President Tinubu of deepening poverty and using economic hardship as a political weapon. They argued that his policies benefit a privileged few while burdening ordinary Nigerians.
Responding, the APC noted that these three individuals held significant political power between 1999 and 2023—serving as Vice President, governors, and ministers—yet failed to address poverty or fix the structural flaws now being tackled by Tinubu.
“In over two decades, neither individually nor collectively did they address the root causes of poverty,” Morka said. “Instead, they engaged in rent-seeking, corruption, and the sale of national assets to allies at giveaway prices.”
Citing Amaechi’s political career, which spans 24 years across key public offices, Morka questioned his legacy. “Amaechi saying ‘I am hungry’ reveals not a concern for the people, but a desperation to return to state patronage,” he said.
Morka accused the trio of being disoriented by Tinubu’s reforms, which emphasize productivity, innovation, and hard work over personal enrichment. He argued that they are clinging to an outdated, rent-seeking economic model that enriched them while impoverishing the nation.
The APC stated that previous administrations, especially 16 years under the PDP, kept the naira artificially overvalued—damaging local production and increasing poverty. Morka noted the irony of Atiku and Peter Obi criticizing the current reforms, despite profiting from the import-dependent economy Tinubu is now dismantling.
“These reforms—removal of fuel subsidy, harmonization of exchange rates, and market-driven policies—are not only eliminating systemic inefficiencies but are also creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, farmers, and service providers,” he said.
He added that increased government revenue is now being directed toward infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social welfare. Some states, he noted, have increased the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, reflecting the administration’s commitment to improving lives.
In conclusion, the APC insisted that the attacks from Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai, and Obi are politically motivated and self-serving, aimed at preserving a corrupt system that Tinubu’s policies are actively dismantling.