The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir el-Rufai of being desperate to return to power for their own benefit. The ruling party said these politicians are only thinking of themselves.
According to a statement from APC’s spokesman, Felix Morka, the accusation was made public in Abuja on Monday.
Morka explained that the three men had spoken against President Bola Tinubu’s economic plans during a recent event held to mark Amaechi’s 60th birthday. He described them as frustrated politicians who are trying to stay relevant.
At the birthday event, Amaechi—who has been Rivers State Speaker and Governor—said he was hungry and added that opposition leaders could remove the current government if they wanted to.
The APC responded by saying it was wrong to blame President Tinubu for economic problems when those same leaders had been in government for nearly 25 years and failed to fix things themselves.
The party strongly denied claims that Tinubu’s administration was making poverty worse on purpose. They argued that past governments also failed to end poverty.
Morka said the birthday lecture turned into a loud meeting of former leaders who didn’t use their time in office well and are now confused by Tinubu’s policies.
He pointed out that Atiku, Amaechi, and El-Rufai had powerful roles in government between 1999 and 2023 but still didn’t reduce poverty in Nigeria or fix the country’s economy.
He added that these leaders didn’t even try to solve the bigger issues that caused poverty and slowed the economy down.
Morka accused them of wasting public money, giving government assets to their friends, and encouraging political violence while in office.
He also reacted to Amaechi’s hunger comment, saying it shows the former minister wants to go back to enjoying government benefits without effort.
Morka said that if Amaechi is already complaining about hunger after just two years out of office, it shows that his criticism comes from a selfish place.
He claimed that Nigerians now understand what’s really going on—that some opposition leaders are upset because they’ve lost control of the economy.
The APC spokesman defended Tinubu’s new economic direction. He said the president is ending the old system of rewarding political allies and instead promoting hard work and innovation.
He also blamed past governments—especially the PDP’s 16 years in power—for holding back the naira’s true value, which hurt local businesses and increased poverty.
Morka said that Atiku and Peter Obi are now opposing Tinubu’s reforms because they both gained a lot from the old, import-focused system.
He noted that Atiku became rich as a customs officer and Obi as an importer, both benefiting from the same setup they are now trying to keep alive.
