2027: Amaechi, Atiku, El-Rufai desperate to regain power for personal gain – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai of being driven by desperation to return to power for selfish interests.

The ruling party, in a strongly worded statement issued Monday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the trio as “displaced rent-seekers” clinging to what he called “fading political relevance.”

The statement was a response to critical remarks made by the three opposition politicians during a public lecture held on May 31 to mark Amaechi’s 60th birthday in Abuja. At the event, Amaechi had lamented the state of the economy under President Bola Tinubu, saying, “We’re all hungry. If you’re not hungry, I am.” He added that the opposition could remove Tinubu from office if necessary.

Reacting, the APC said the criticism amounted to “frustration” from men who failed to address the same economic challenges during their years in power.

“The APC strongly rejects the baseless allegation that the Tinubu-led government is weaponising poverty. These individuals had almost 25 years in and around power, yet failed to eradicate poverty or implement meaningful structural reforms,” Morka said.

He described the birthday lecture as a “frenzied gathering” of political figures who misused their time in office and are now rattled by the sweeping reforms introduced by the current administration.

“These three individuals — Atiku, Amaechi, and El-Rufai — have all held some of the highest offices in Nigeria between 1999 and 2023. Yet, they failed to address the root causes of economic hardship or fix the structural distortions crippling the economy,” the statement continued.

Morka particularly took aim at Amaechi, stating that his remarks about being hungry reflect a desire to return to state patronage rather than public service.

“When Amaechi declared, ‘I am hungry,’ he must mean that he is desperate to return to his perceived entitlement to state resources and privileges,” Morka said.

He further accused the opposition figures of benefiting from the now-disrupted rent-seeking system, alleging that they were involved in “mindless selling of national assets, wasteful spending, and even sponsoring state violence.”

The APC spokesman defended Tinubu’s economic policies, including the floating of the naira and removal of subsidies, noting that while the reforms are painful, they are aimed at replacing dependency with productivity and innovation.

“The artificially overvalued naira encouraged import dependency and stifled local production. President Tinubu’s reforms are correcting that,” he said.

He also accused Atiku, a former customs officer, and Peter Obi, a businessman and former Anambra governor, of profiting from the import-dependent economy they now criticise.

“Atiku and Obi amassed their wealth from the system they now seek to preserve. Nigerians can see through this hypocrisy,” he stated.

The statement comes amid growing opposition criticism of the Tinubu administration, especially on economic matters, as inflation, food prices, and unemployment continue to rise. The APC, however, insists that the reforms will eventually yield results and rescue the country from decades of systemic decay.