By Rafiyat Sadiq
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) traded words over remarks targeting prominent opposition figures.
The APC described ADC leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, as “confused, clueless, rudderless, and pitiful.”
The ruling party warned Nigerians against politicians who, it claimed, use ethnicity and religion to undermine the principle of rotating the presidency between the North and South.
APC Targets El-Rufai
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka accused El-Rufai of “infantile politics” and said his political decline deserved “forensic analysis”.
Morka claimed El-Rufai had been in “political free fall” since failing to secure a ministerial appointment. He said the former governor’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as incompetent and clannish was “another outburst” from a “waspish politician”.
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According to Morka, El-Rufai and Atiku were attempting to impose Atiku as ADC’s presidential candidate in violation of the rotation principle. He linked Atiku’s refusal to step aside in the PDP’s 2023 primary to the party’s electoral collapse.
The APC accused the ADC of lacking any credible policy proposals to replace current reforms. It argued that Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, and Amaechi had all previously campaigned for fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate harmonisation but later opposed the policies for political gain.
ADC Hits Back
ADC National Youth Leader Balarabe Rufai dismissed APC’s claims, describing Tinubu’s economic reforms as “heartless” and designed to please foreign financial institutions rather than Nigerians.
Rufai said ADC’s economic plans would focus on consistency, local ownership, purpose, and strategy. He accused the government of overtaxing citizens despite high poverty levels.
“In a country where 133 million people live in poverty, taxing them further is heartless,” Rufai said.
He confirmed that Obi and Atiku were aligning with the ADC and insisted the party’s priority was reforming democratic processes, not undermining regional power rotation.
CUPP: APC Attacks on Obi Are Diversionary
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also condemned the APC’s criticism of Peter Obi.
CUPP National Secretary Peter Ameh described the attacks as an attempt to distract Nigerians from the government’s failures.
He defended Obi’s record on transparency, prudent spending, and reform, accusing the APC of managing subsidy removal poorly and worsening hardship.
“It is disheartening that instead of tackling challenges, the APC prefers smear campaigns,” Ameh said.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
