The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded sharply to Peter Obi’s New Year message, accusing him of being a “doomsayer” bent on turning Nigerians against President Bola Tinubu.
Peter Obi, who ran as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, raised concerns about corruption, poverty, and Nigeria’s growing debt under Tinubu’s administration. He claimed that corruption has become deeply rooted and nepotism widespread under the current government.
In a counter-statement, Felix Morka, spokesperson for the APC, dismissed Obi’s claims, saying they contradict evidence of economic recovery. He accused Obi and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of inciting Nigerians against the government.
Morka also criticized Obi’s performance as governor of Anambra State, claiming he failed to achieve meaningful progress during his eight-year tenure. He reassured Nigerians that President Tinubu is focused on reducing inflation from 34% to 15% by 2025 and steering the economy toward growth.
“In reality, 18 months later, the economy, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has shown a steady record of progress.
Despite these and other initial beneficial outcomes of ongoing reforms, the administration is doubling its effort to ensure their fullest benefits for the transformation of our country.
It is a thing of irony that Obi, who now arrogates to himself to be omniscient and philosopher’s stone, when it comes to our nation’s challenges, left no record of significant achievement, let alone transformation of any kind, in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State.
Like his co-travellers in the PDP, Obi’s obsessive pessimism and endless but futile effort to incite public outrage against the administration is borne out of the realization that Tinubu is unwittingly cementing their political irrelevance through his visionary and full-throttle reform.
Under the banner of the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is dutifully turning our nation’s fortunes around. We urge Nigerians to remain confident of better days ahead.”
This exchange highlights the ongoing tensions between the ruling party and opposition figures as Nigeria continues to face economic challenges.
“With the vigour in the administration’s war on corruption, evidenced by ongoing investigations and trial of well-heeled Nigerians, Obi’s pontification on the urgent need to tame corruption is a clear case of carrying coal to Newcastle,” the party added.
