The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded sharply to Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, over his recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Gists9ja reports that during a media chat on Thursday, Obi had claimed that the political, economic, and security conditions in Nigeria are deteriorating daily, in stark contrast to the government’s claims of progress.
Obi also lamented that Nigeria, once the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $574 billion and a per capita income of over $3,500 in 2014, had now fallen to the fourth position on the continent. He suggested that the country’s trajectory under President Tinubu was worsening.
In its response, the APC issued a statement through its Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, calling Obi’s claims misleading. The ruling party contended that indicators across various sectors show that Nigeria is recovering and making progress, positioning Obi as the country’s “leading doomsayer.” Morka criticized Obi for presenting himself as a self-proclaimed expert on national issues, noting that the former Anambra State governor left no substantial achievements during his eight-year tenure.
Morka also pointed out that while Nigerians were beginning the new year with hope for 2025, Obi seemed fixated on promoting a narrative of gloom and doom. He attributed Obi’s pessimism to a deeper frustration among opposition leaders, particularly within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who, according to Morka, are struggling with their political irrelevance as Tinubu’s administration pursues bold reforms.
The APC statement read: “Obi’s New Year message, in which he claimed that the political, economic and security situation of our dear country is worsening daily, is misleading and appears intended to score cheap political points. This claim, at a time when all indicators show that our country is rebounding in significant measure across all sectors, casts Obi, squarely, as Nigeria’s leading doomsayer.”
The ruling party emphasized that, despite the challenges Nigeria faces, the government is dedicated to ensuring that the ongoing reforms yield long-term benefits for the country’s growth and development. Morka referenced President Tinubu’s acknowledgment of the rising cost of food and essential goods, assuring Nigerians that efforts are underway to reduce these costs through increased food and drug production.
Morka concluded by highlighting the irony that Obi, who now positions himself as an expert in addressing national challenges, failed to leave any transformative legacy during his time as governor of Anambra State. He argued that Obi’s continued pessimism is a response to the growing success of President Tinubu’s transformative agenda, which is rendering the opposition politically irrelevant.
