The All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a blistering response to recent criticisms from prominent opposition figures, accusing them of hypocrisy, desperation, and a hunger to return to power for personal gain.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party took aim at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing them as “frustrated rent-seekers” clinging to diminishing political relevance.
The trio had voiced strong criticisms of the Tinubu administration during Amaechi’s 60th birthday lecture in Abuja, with Amaechi notably saying, “We’re all hungry; all of us are. If you’re not hungry, I am.”
The APC, however, dismissed the comment as symbolic of a deeper desire to regain access to government resources.
“When Amaechi says he is hungry, he’s revealing his desperation to return to a lifestyle funded by government patronage,” Morka said. “It’s not about the people—it’s about returning to power.”
The party accused the three politicians of collectively squandering their combined 24 years in government, failing to address the root causes of poverty and economic decline. According to Morka, they instead enabled systemic problems, sold off national assets to cronies, and resisted meaningful reforms.
“These are men who spent decades in power without solving the very problems they now blame on President Tinubu. Their sudden concern for the economy is nothing more than political theatre,” the statement read.
Defending President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, the APC insisted the current administration is charting a new course focused on dismantling rent-seeking structures and promoting productivity.
Morka also criticized the opposition’s economic record, particularly under the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rule, which he said propped up an unsustainable economy based on an overvalued naira.
He singled out Atiku and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, alleging that both benefited from the import-heavy economy of the past and now oppose reforms that threaten their personal business interests.
“Atiku, a former customs officer, and Obi, a wealthy importer, thrived in an import-driven economy. Now, they resist reforms that would benefit ordinary Nigerians but threaten their business models,” Morka said.
The statement concluded with a call for Nigerians to ignore the distractions and support Tinubu’s ongoing reforms, which the APC claimed are laying the groundwork for long-term national prosperity.
