The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as “baseless” allegations that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is “weaponising” poverty.
According to the ruling party, such claims are politically motivated and hypocritical.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party said the key opposition figures made the remarks at a public lecture held on Saturday, May 31, in Abuja.
The event, which marked the 60th birthday of former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation Chief Rotimi Amaechi, had in attendance political actors, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The APC accused the trio—Amaechi, Atiku, and El-Rufai—of using the event as a platform for what it called “desperate and disruptive politicking”, aimed solely at reclaiming power for personal gain.
Morka described them as “leading displaced rent-seekers” whose time in power between 1999 and 2023 left behind structural distortions and deepened poverty.
“These individuals occupied the highest political offices in the land for 24 uninterrupted years. In all that time, they failed to confront poverty, let alone eradicate it. Instead, they indulged in corrupt and wasteful practices, sold national assets for a pittance, and institutionalised rent-seeking as governance,” Morka said.
The statement was targeted towards Amaechi, who the APC noted had held government positions continuously for 24 years.
According to the party, his recent declaration that he is “hungry” is not a reflection of public hardship, but rather a sign of his personal longing for access to state resources.
“He is hungry, not because the country has failed him, but because he’s been cut off from the patronage and entitlements he had grown used to. It exposes the self-serving nature of his criticisms,” the statement said.
The APC defended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, calling them “unprecedented and necessary” to correct years of economic mismanagement, especially under the 16 years of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
It argued that previous governments failed to allow the naira to find its true value, which contributed significantly to poverty and underdevelopment.
The party also took swipes at Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and described their criticisms as hypocritical.
The party said both men benefited enormously from the import-dependent economic system that Tinubu’s reforms are now dismantling.
“Atiku, a former customs officer, and Obi, a long-time importer, enriched themselves through the same policies they now criticise. Their attacks on current reforms are laced with special interest,” the statement read.
Morka noted that President Tinubu’s economic decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of exchange rates, have curbed corruption, improved government revenue, and expanded investment opportunities.
“These reforms have ended perennial fuel queues, increased foreign direct investment, and allowed governments at all levels to invest more in critical sectors like education, health, infrastructure, and security,” he stated.
Morka further revealed that the economic upturn has led to an increase in the minimum wage in some states from N30,000 to N70,000 and called it evidence of improved fiscal capacity and government commitment to welfare.
He cited data showing a 4.6 per cent economic growth in the last quarter of 2024—the highest in a decade, despite global economic challenges—pointing to a rise in local production, reduced imports, and increased exports as indicators of economic resilience.
While highlighting the impact of major industrial projects such as the Dangote Refinery and growth in manufacturing in the South East, the APC argued that Nigeria is gradually transitioning from a consumption-driven to a production-based economy.
“Entrepreneurs, farmers, and local producers are thriving under this administration. The old class of economic exploiters are the only ones sulking, having lost their grip on the levers of rent and patronage,” Morka said.
The party added that President Tinubu remained focused on implementing long-term economic reforms in the national interest and will not be distracted by “selfish, partisan ramblings” from political actors seeking to preserve a failed economic order.
“The best strategic interest of our economy and the Nigerian people must trump all political or electoral calculations. President Tinubu is on course,” Morka added.
