The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fired back at Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, following his recent critical remarks about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku had dismissed Tinubu’s policies as “trial and error” and accused the administration of being unprepared for necessary reforms.
In a press statement, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka accused Atiku of being driven by “political envy and crass desperation for power.”
Morka stated that Atiku’s comments were attempts to undermine the substantial achievements of President Tinubu’s first year in office, which he described as rooted in self-interest and an unpatriotic desire for Nigeria’s failure to benefit his political ambitions.
“Atiku’s self-serving efforts to minimize the bold, genuine and metamorphic policies and interventions of the present administration only smack of primordial political envy and crass desperation for the power that Nigerians have so wisely denied him.
“The former Vice President lives in an alternate reality of prejudice and unpatriotic desire for Nigeria’s failure so he may scavenge his way to an even more elusive presidency,” Morka stated.
Addressing Atiku’s concerns about food security, the APC noted that proactive measures had been implemented, including a target to cultivate 500,000 hectares of land for rice, maize, wheat, and cassava in 30 states.
“Atiku’s false alarm of an imminent food scarcity boldface ignores the widely acknowledged proactive measures already introduced by President Tinubu to guarantee food security in the country.
“In December 2023, the Federal Government set a target for the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land across the federation. Cultivation of rice, maize, wheat and cassava on over 246,231 hectares of land in 30 states of the federation is in progress in addition to approving massive grants and other incentives to farmers,” Morka said.
The APC also defended the administration’s national security efforts, citing significant improvements, especially in the North East.
“The former Vice President’s swipe on the administration’s national security management again betrays his lack of touch with the reality of our current situation.
“Not only did the administration revamp and reconfigure the country’s security apparatus, it created a Special Security Fund to boost its superiority and operational effectiveness against merchants of crime and insecurity.
“Yet, Atiku turns a blind eye to considerable improvement in our security, especially in the North East where Atiku hails from,” the APC spokesman said.
Responding to Atiku’s accusations of the administration’s lack of compassion and failure to provide economic relief, Morka pointed to ongoing negotiations with Labour Unions for an upward review of the minimum wage.
The APC’s statement emphasized that President Tinubu remains committed to building a progressive and prosperous Nigeria.
“While Atiku and his band of mudslingers idle away, the President will continue, unstoppably, to deliver high-grade infrastructure not only in our nation’s capital, Abuja but all around the country,” the statement concluded.
