The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately shifting public attention from Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges by making its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the centre of political debate.
The opposition party said the ruling party had chosen to engage in personality attacks rather than respond to concerns raised by Catholic bishops over poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of living.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the APC’s criticism of Atiku, following recent comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as an attempt to divert attention from what it called the Tinubu administration’s poor performance.
According to the party, instead of addressing the bishops’ concerns, the APC had resorted to attacking both the clerics and opposition figures.
“The APC has become increasingly obsessed with our presidential candidate because it cannot defend its catastrophic record after the Catholic Bishops exposed the true state of the nation,” the statement said.
The ADC argued that the ruling party had developed a pattern of responding to criticism by attacking those who speak out rather than confronting the issues they raise.
It maintained that Nigerians deserved explanations for worsening inflation, rising food prices, unemployment and insecurity instead of political exchanges over individuals.
Defending Atiku’s record as Vice President, the party said Nigeria experienced stronger macroeconomic stability, improved investor confidence and a more affordable cost of living during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, despite the political differences that later emerged between the two leaders.
The ADC insisted that while Obasanjo was entitled to his opinion of Atiku, personal views could not erase what it described as the economic record of the administration in which the former vice president served.
The party further challenged the Tinubu administration to explain why food prices continue to soar, why more Nigerians have fallen into poverty, why economic growth has not translated into jobs, and why insecurity persists despite repeated government assurances.
It also questioned the government’s borrowing profile and debt servicing obligations, arguing that Nigerians would judge the administration by their daily living conditions rather than political narratives ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to the ADC, the next election will ultimately be determined not by elite opinions but by the lived experiences of millions of Nigerians grappling with economic hardship and insecurity.