The All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a forceful rebuttal to recent remarks by opposition heavyweights Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai, accusing them of hypocrisy and political desperation after the trio alleged that President Bola Tinubu is “weaponising poverty” in Nigeria.
The three political figures made the claim at a public lecture in Abuja over the weekend, held in honour of Amaechi’s 60th birthday. What began as a commemorative event quickly evolved into a high-level political critique, with Atiku, El-Rufai, and Amaechi blaming Tinubu’s economic reforms for exacerbating poverty, inflation, and national hardship.
In a strongly worded statement on Monday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed the accusations as a thinly veiled attempt to undermine genuine reform, asserting that the critics themselves failed to initiate meaningful economic change when they held power.
“They did not even attempt to address, let alone tackle, the structural challenges and distortions that stifled the economy and worsened poverty over the years,” Morka said.
He accused the trio of being uncomfortable with the reforms because they disrupt entrenched political interests and long-standing rent-seeking systems.
“Accustomed to fleecing the economy, they are now compelled by Tinubu’s unprecedented reforms to adapt to a new reality where hard work, productivity, and innovation are rewarded,” he added.
Defending the president’s economic policies, the APC described Tinubu’s reform drive — particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy and unification of exchange rates — as bold, overdue steps essential to rebuilding a productive economy.
“The removal of fuel subsidy has been a game-changer,” the party said. “It ended massive corruption, eliminated fuel queues, and freed up public funds now being directed into infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, and social welfare.”
On currency reforms, the party argued that harmonising multiple exchange rates has boosted Nigeria’s credibility in global markets and made the economy more transparent and competitive.
“These are reforms previous administrations — including those involving Atiku, Amaechi, and El-Rufai — were either unwilling or unable to undertake,” Morka emphasized.
The APC didn’t spare Peter Obi, Labour Party leader and former Anambra State governor, who also spoke critically of Tinubu’s economic direction in recent weeks. The ruling party described him as part of an “old political class” resistant to change.
“Their criticisms mask a shameless attempt to cling to a broken system that enriched them at the expense of ordinary Nigerians,” the statement added.
