Key Points

• APC calls Peter Obi a “prophet of doom” over his remarks.

• Obi alleges Tinubu spent 30% of his tenure abroad.

• APC claims progress in debt servicing, security, and economic reforms.

According to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), is “Nigeria’s prophet of doom.”

APC reacts to Peter Obi’s criticism of Tinubu’s government

Obi lambasted the struggles Nigerians endure under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the APC-led federal government during his press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, to which the APC was responding.

Obi accused the government of treating opposition members harshly and ran against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election. He claimed that with minimal effect on Nigeria’s economy, Tinubu traveled overseas for roughly 30% of his 18 months in government. 

Based on recent reports of children dying in Ibadan, Abuja, and Anambra while chasing Christmas food, Obi came to the conclusion that Nigeria’s hunger crisis cannot be resolved with the existing minimum salary of ₦70,000.

Felix Morka, the APC’s national publicity secretary, issued a statement in which the party criticized Obi’s assertions as “misleading” and an effort to “score cheap political points.”

“As Nigerians rang in the new year with aspirations for a more spectacular 2025, Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the general elections of 2023, is still trapped in a rerun of his jangling, depressing wishlist for our nation,” the statement said.

Obi was charged by the APC as downplaying the accomplishments of the administration, stating that “all indicators show that our country is rebounding significantly across all sectors.”

The APC maintained that these actions are in line with Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” and are intended to reach the administration’s economic goal of $1 trillion.

APC highlights economic progress under Tinubu’s leadership

The party referenced President Tinubu’s New Year’s address, in which he acknowledged the growing prices of food and necessary medications but pledged to combat inflation, with the goal of bringing the rate down from 34% to 15% within the fiscal year.

Further praising Tinubu’s anti-corruption initiatives, the APC cited ongoing investigations and prosecutions as proof of the administration’s determination.

As stated by Business Day, Obi’s time as governor of Anambra State was criticized by the APC, which regarded his comments as unfounded. According to the statement, “Obi, who now claims to be omniscient about national issues, left no record of significant achievement during his eight years as governor.”

The APC said that the Renewed Hope Agenda was establishing the groundwork for a flourishing Nigeria. “As the administration unites its efforts to deliver sustainable growth and transformation, we encourage Nigerians to maintain their faith in better days ahead.”