2027: Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai hungry for state resources – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, accusing them of desperation to return to power and continue living off state resources.

In a scathing statement, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the trio were “weaponising poverty” not out of concern for the masses, but out of frustration over being removed from the corridors of power.

“These statements were reportedly made at a public lecture in Abuja on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to mark the 60th birthday celebration of Chief Rotimi Amaechi,” Morka said.

“But the event quickly degenerated into a political jamboree, where Amaechi, Atiku, and El-Rufai—displaced rent-seekers—showcased their desperation to grab power solely for self-aggrandisement.”

The ruling party noted that between 1999 and 2023, the three men occupied Nigeria’s top political offices—either as vice president, governors, or ministers—yet failed to eradicate poverty or reform the structural deficiencies of the economy.

“In all 24 years, the trio, individually or collectively, failed to address poverty or tackle the systemic distortions that stifled growth,” Morka said.

“Instead, they indulged in rent-seeking, sold national assets to cronies at giveaway prices, squandered public resources, and used state power to oppress their own people.”

Citing Amaechi’s political record, Morka said the former minister had freeloaded on state resources for 24 consecutive years—serving eight years each as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of Transportation.

“When Amaechi declared, ‘I am hungry,’ it was an admission of his desperation to return to the state’s feeding trough. That he is hungry barely two years out of office shows how dependent he has become on public resources,” Morka said.

He accused Amaechi and his allies of resisting President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, which he said were dismantling the rent-seeking economy they once thrived in.

“They’re losing grip on the economy. Accustomed to fleecing the system, they now find themselves forced to adapt to a new reality where productivity and innovation are rewarded.”

He added, “Their criticisms are not rooted in public interest but in a frantic attempt to regain power and control. Tinubu’s reforms have ended their era of reckless plunder.”

Morka also said that Atiku, a former customs officer, and Peter Obi, a former importer, benefitted immensely from the old economic order and were simply defending vested interests under the guise of public advocacy.

“Their attacks on Tinubu’s reforms are thinly veiled efforts to perpetuate a corrupt system that made them rich at the expense of the people,” he said.

2027 will decide Tinubu’s fate — Atiku

In a swift response, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar fired back, saying the 2027 general elections will serve as a referendum on President Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku’s media adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, stated in Abuja that the APC government had failed to deliver good governance and was more concerned with attacking perceived opponents.

“It’s clear these people were never prepared for governance. They are fixated on politics while progress slips away,” Ibe said.

He criticised the government’s inefficiency, citing the completion of just 30 kilometres of a 700-kilometre road project in two years as a glaring failure.

“They rolled out drums to celebrate 4% completion of a road project. Isn’t that absurd? The money spent on the ceremony could have built more roads,” he said.

Ibe also pointed to Nigeria’s worsening economic indicators, noting that the country had become the world’s poverty capital and led the continent in child malnutrition.

“People are hungry. For the first time, those who could afford to buy rams for Eid are few. Some are now pooling money to buy just one ram,” he said.

He emphasised that Atiku’s commitment to public service was driven by the people’s aspirations for a better life, not personal ambition.

“Atiku is not interested in accessing state funds. His efforts are driven by Nigerians’ yearning for a better life,” Ibe said.

Defending Atiku’s personal integrity, he said the former vice president had built multi-million-dollar businesses and created jobs long before entering politics.

“Atiku was already a successful businessman before 1999. He funds his campaigns personally. Unlike his critics, he’s not waiting to feed off the state,” he said.

He urged the APC to shift focus from Atiku’s activities and concentrate on delivering on their mandate.

“They should use the remainder of their term to improve Nigerians’ lives, instead of obsessing over what Atiku is or isn’t doing.”

Ibe concluded by declaring that 2027 would be a turning point in Nigeria’s history.

“The next election will be between Tinubu and the rest of Nigeria,” he said.