APC Blasts Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai, labels them desperate for power

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi over their recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing them of pursuing personal political agendas.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC dismissed allegations made during a public lecture in Abuja on Saturday—organized to mark Amaechi’s 60th birthday—that Tinubu’s government was “weaponising poverty” by failing to address ongoing economic challenges after two years in office.

The event became a platform for prominent opposition figures, including Amaechi, Atiku, and El-Rufai—all of whom held significant roles in previous administrations—to take aim at the current government.

In response, the APC described the trio as “displaced rent-seekers” who mismanaged their years in power and ignored the root causes of poverty they now blame on Tinubu.

“These three individuals were key players between 1999 and 2023, yet they failed to make any meaningful impact on poverty reduction,” Morka said. “Instead, they engaged in corruption, sold public assets to allies, and fostered a rent-seeking culture.”

The party singled out Amaechi, who held government positions for over two decades, alleging he made minimal contributions to economic growth both in Rivers State and at the national level.

Reacting to Amaechi’s reported claim that he was “hungry,” the APC said the comment reflected a personal yearning to return to public office rather than genuine concern for Nigerians’ welfare.

The statement also targeted Atiku and Labour Party leader Peter Obi, accusing them of benefiting from Nigeria’s former import-dependent economy and opposing Tinubu’s reforms that now threaten their vested interests.

“Atiku and Obi’s criticism of the administration is not driven by concern for the people,” the APC stated. “They are merely trying to protect a broken system that once enriched them at the public’s expense.”

Defending the Tinubu administration, the APC highlighted recent economic reforms—including the removal of fuel subsidies and unification of exchange rates—as steps already yielding positive outcomes. These include increased investment in the oil and gas sector, rising local production, job creation, and enhanced government revenues.

According to the party, these reforms enabled states to raise the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, cut down import dependency, and improve trade balances. Nigeria’s economy reportedly grew by 4.6% in the last quarter of 2024, the highest in a decade.

The APC also cited industrial growth, particularly the output from the Dangote Refinery and manufacturing progress in the South East, as evidence of a shift toward a production-based economy.

While acknowledging short-term hardships caused by the reforms, the party insisted that President Tinubu is laying the groundwork for long-term economic stability and will not be deterred by political attacks.

“President Tinubu is on track,” the statement concluded. “He remains committed to transforming the economy in the best interest of Nigerians, regardless of partisan distractions.”