close
Tuesday, June 3, 2025

After ten years in power, APC blames PDP rule for unprecedented poverty under Tinubu

Since the APC assumed power at the centre, Nigerians have experienced a significant spike in fuel prices.

• June 2, 2025
President Bola Tinubu (Credit: Presidency)
President Bola Tinubu (Credit: Presidency)

After a decade in control of Nigeria’s central government, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has blamed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for increasing poverty under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The APC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Felix Morka, on Monday, blamed the opposition party for the widespread poverty in the country.

“It was the failure of previous administrations, particularly 16 years of PDP administration, to allow the naira to find its real value that created the economic conditions of poverty that the present administration is now addressing,” the statement reads in part.

The ruling party lauded Mr Tinubu for removing fuel subsidy and harmonising exchange rates. This came in response to criticisms from opposition figures Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Nasir El-Rufai of the Social Democratic Party, and Rotimi Amaechi—the trio reportedly plotting a coalition to oust Mr Tinubu from office in 2027.

Promising reforms focused on anti-corruption, tackling insecurity, and alleviating poverty, the APC ousted the PDP in the historic 2015 election.

Though the APC wrested power from Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP a decade ago, it has continually blamed widespread poverty and insecurity on the PDP’s legacy.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, who succeeded Mr Jonathan, served two terms (eight years) before handing over to his fellow party member, Bola Tinubu, on May 29, 2023—two years ago.

In the past 10 years under APC administrations, Nigerians have witnessed increased banditry, gunmen raids on communities, mass kidnappings of schoolchildren for ransom, widespread poverty, and unprecedented inflation.

Since the APC assumed power at the centre, Nigerians have experienced a significant spike in fuel prices—from N87 to over N1,000 and later to about N900—while the naira has collapsed from about N400 to the dollar to over N1,600 to the dollar.

Similarly, food prices, the cost of transportation, and the overall cost of living have risen astronomically in the past ten years under successive APC regimes.

With inflation at 24 per cent—a drop from 34 per cent after the economy was rebased—Nigeria recorded the largest increase in acute food insecurity globally in 2024, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, published by the Global Network Against Food Crises in collaboration with the Food Security Information Network and UNICEF.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund reported that poverty and food insecurity remained high under Mr Tinubu. 

The World Bank’s Africa Pulse report of April 2025 also stated that Nigeria has the highest number of extremely poor people globally, warning that more Nigerians will be plunged into poverty by 2027.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Abubakar Kyari

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

GAS PIPELINES

Economy

Nigeria seeks $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline investment

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline will deliver gas from Nigeria to Morocco, then onward to Europe.

Tinubu with Ojulari

Abuja

Tinubu hails NNPCL boss Bayo Ojulari on 60 birthday

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, as he clocks 60 on June 3.

Tinubu sleeping; armed bandits

Abuja

Power-hungry politicians using Boko Haram to bring down Tinubu’s govt: Orji Kalu

Mr Kalu’s claim echoed Governor Babagana Zulum’s recent allegation that politicians and Nigerian soldiers aided Boko Haram.

Governor Ahmed Ododo

Economy

BoI opens Lokoja office to boost businesses

The Bank of Industry has taken another step to support economic development in Kogi with the opening of a new office in Lokoja.

Children in Borno IDP Camp

States

UNODC seeks protection of Nigerian children affected by Boko Haram violence

Mr Zulum promised not to allow children affected by conflicts to be recruited as child soldiers by terrorists.

Simon Ekpa

Diaspora

Simon Ekpa sues Ngozie Orabueze in Washington, claims she stole database of IPOB members across U.S., Europe

There is a growing chasm among the diaporan agitators of a Biafran state in Nigeria bordered on allegations of theft, fraud and betrayal, court documents showed.