The spokesman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of worsening the living conditions of Nigerians through its economic policies, prompting a response from APC spokesman Felix Morka, who blamed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for contributing to the country’s economic challenges.
The two party spokesmen exchanged views during an appearance on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Thursday, where they assessed the performance of the APC-led government ahead of the 2027 general election.
Abdullahi argued that the policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration had worsened economic hardship, urging the government to acknowledge its shortcomings and reconsider its approach.
He compared the administration’s economic strategy to an attempt to repair a pothole that ends up destroying the entire road.
“What they tried to do in the last three is like trying to fill a pothole, and in the process they end up leaving the economy in a ditch,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC spokesman maintained that government policies should be assessed based on their impact on citizens rather than official claims about their effectiveness.
He added that admitting when a policy had failed was necessary for addressing the country’s economic difficulties.
“There is nothing wrong in admitting that your prescription or your solution has not worked,” he said.
However, Morka dismissed the criticism, accusing Atiku, who is associated with the ADC’s presidential ambitions, of contributing to Nigeria’s economic problems during his time in government.
The APC spokesman argued that the former vice president’s record in office undermined his party’s criticism of the Tinubu administration.
“Let me make clear that my good friend speaks for a candidate who is easily the most critical actor in the economic sabotage of this country,” Morka said.
He further accused Atiku of presiding over the loss of national assets and contributing to economic difficulties that successive administrations have struggled to address.
Morka also alleged that $16 billion allocated for power projects was squandered under previous administrations, claiming that the APC government was working to address problems inherited from the past.
According to him, Atiku “left a sordid record of performance; destroyed Nigeria’s national assets; created the economic void that governments since then have been trying to fill; squandered 16 billion US dollars meant to provide electricity.”
The exchange comes as political parties intensify their criticism of one another ahead of the 2027 general election, with economic management, living costs and the performance of the Tinubu administration emerging as major points of debate.
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