APC dares Atiku to share plans for Tinubu's reforms

The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has challenged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to share clear alternatives to President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.

Morka said that it is not enough for Atiku to criticize the government’s policies. He believes that Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), should explain to Nigerians how he plans to tackle the nation’s economic issues and better their lives.

Morka spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday. He responded to criticisms aimed at the Tinubu administration’s approach to the economy. “You know, he should be telling Nigerians exactly what he plans to do to improve the lives of Nigerians,” Morka said. He added that Atiku has not yet provided a detailed policy alternative to the changes made by Tinubu’s government.

Morka defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, stating that all major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had agreed on this issue. “All of those who ran in that election were unanimous in their promise to Nigerians to remove fuel subsidies. This president did that,” he said.

He acknowledged the hardships Nigerians are facing but insisted that these reforms are essential to fix long-standing problems. “Our country was broke. So when you say things are hard today because we had to take some correctional measures to fix problems that have been there for decades,” he said.

Morka also disagreed with the view that the reforms have made the economic situation worse. He claimed that the economy is now stronger than when Tinubu took over. “The country, the economy is today by far better, standing on stronger footing than it did when this president came along,” he said.

He questioned how Atiku would fund any plans to restore or expand subsidies. Morka pointed out that promises to lower petrol, electricity, or other essential service costs would require clear funding strategies. “Any promise you make, there’s a cost to it,” he said.

His comments come as Atiku continues to criticize the government’s economic policies and calls for actions to ease rising living costs. Morka also defended the government’s foreign exchange reforms, especially the unification of exchange rates.

He argued that the previous system did not reflect the true value of the naira. He stated that the government’s choice to harmonize the rates was necessary for the country’s economic future. “When the government harmonised the exchange rates, that was necessary from an economic point of view to give Nigeria a fighting chance of economic recovery,” he said.

Morka believes the administration should be judged based on the economic situation it inherited. He insisted that its reforms are starting to improve the country’s overall economic condition. “The average Nigerian understands that without the policies of this government, we won’t even have a country,” he said.

He dismissed comparisons between Atiku and Tinubu, highlighting what he called the president’s achievements in office. “Comparing Atiku Abubakar with the president who has a record, as we speak, demonstrable record of transforming the economy of this country, I think that’s a ridiculous comparison,” Morka said.